Sera has fallen
by The Helghast Marine
Summary: The Covenant mistaken Sera for Reach then the Covenant attack Sera with reckless abandons while the remnants of the COG slowly rebuilding humanity. Everything changes as Marcus and rest of Delta Squad faced off against the ruthless , unstoppable and technological new enemy. But at the same time, Delta squad will soon witnessed the fall of Sera .
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1 : Prologue**

 **Flashback**

It was 3 days after the end of the war between the humans , the locust and the lambent. The war was finally for good ; now the people of Sera tasted a every lasting peace for the first time. But things will never be the same. The war took away everything from the COG ; love ones , friends , families and homes. Scars , physical and emotional so raw already stain the planet. Now the people of Sera had another chance to rebuild Sera and another chance to start over slowly.

After years of never lasting fighting , from the chaos , despair and loss is finally over. Humanity now have a tomorrow expect for those who didn't make to see the moment.

Azura the last strong hold of the COG was home to Gears and refugees who flee the war. Every civilian, gear soldier or standard who have faith in the COG was relocated to Azura by the orders of Colonel Hoffman The gears continued to be weary from the war but the COG wasn't aware of another threat from outer space beyond their imagination.

Now the COG and the human race slowly developed plans to reclaim Sera from the war they lost.

* * *

 _ **Current time : 9 : 00pm**_

 _ **Current Location : Azura**_

It was a silent night at the island of Azura. A crowd Hoffman tapped on the microphone to addressed the crowd of gears and civilians gathered infront of Pinnacle Tower.

Delta squad including Anya Stroud and Marcus stood beside Hoffman as he made his speech to the crowd.

" **My fellow gears ."** addressed Hoffman " **Today we remember the fallen from every war we fought. Gears who died fighting side by side with each other. We been through hell together and I look at each of you to see the marks of this long and terrible war."**

Hoffman took another breath and continued **" We lost love ones , homes and families but on this day we will take back Sera the home we have lost. We will build a better world for our children in the future. Our Children's children shouldn't carry these marks of war and despair . We will tell them who we are and what we fight for."**

Outside the Pinnacle tower, a tiny purple streak of light through the dark skies of Sera but the humans of Sera will face the threat from space soon enough. The beginning of an end.

 **" Gears , we did not blow down. We do not give in. We fought till the end."** Hoffman said in his speech.

The tiny purple light slowly turned away within the distance.

" **Every war we fought and everything we lost ; everything we fought for already made us lost our humanity , our innocents and we start to rebuild and reclaim the world we had lost. This time all of us will show an example to our children so they could live in freedom and peace."**

 **"We thanks those who gave their lives to end the war and we will never forget them. For a tomorrow we move forward."** ended Hoffman in his speech as he turned to large wooden memorial plague in front of the building and the words are carefully craved. The island remained silent as the inhabitants of Azura stared at the plague.

 _ **For every soul lost on Emergency day.**_

 _ **To the Gears who gave their lives to protect humanity**_

 _ **Never forget their sacrifice never in Vain.**_

 _ **For Humanity**_

At the same time Marcus left and Anya excused herself to find Marcus.

Marcus was another example of a man affected by war ; he took the burden of allow the stress, hardship and the blunt of the damage of the war, Pain and hurt was what he saw. Done things he wasn't proud of. Watching his friends die so they could finish the war for him.

Marcus was sitting on the beach watching the waves ignoring the cool breezes in the air. Anya came to joined him as she sat silently.

" I may not be fine but I felt like I did things I am not proud." sighed Marcus " Well Bernie didn't take it well after Dom die. She still upset about Dom even Hoffman."

" What the hell are we going to do ? New Tomorrow ? No kidding what is left then. I thought I am done fighting for good" continued Marcus

Anya nodded " After all these years of fighting. You are not alone We still have each other Marcus. Dom , your father and everyone they are with you to the end." as she wrapped her arms.

" I am with you remember that Marcus." said Anya " Everything we accomplish because we have each other till the end. Remember your dad , Dom and Carlos, they are with you in this moment."

" I know Anya." said Marcus "I wouldn't push you away but you are not going to stop me from doing it. I love you till the end."

" I love you too. For Dom." said Anya

" For Dom." said the couple as they rose from the sand and heading towards a crowd who gathered together with candles glowing in honor of the fallen from the locust war. The gear soldiers and refugees mourned together as the candle light lighting up the island. They mourned together in their grief for those who lost love ones , families and friends from the war they forced to endure.

" I will be the first to say a prayer to Dom and my father." said Marcus to Anya

" Then I will say another prayer to my mother." added Anya before Marcus and Anya share a kiss.

Now the lambent and the locust are gone and now Sera has to heal from it's wounds of war. Next thing they had to do was restore Sera to it's former glory. After the COG won the war but not for Sera but something else it coming for Sera.

* * *

 **Three weeks later**

In the orbit, hundreds of blue wormholes lighted up the dark space revealing purple warships resemble like a hybrid of whales ,sharks , fishes and bugs. They call themselves the Covenant. The Covenant were still at war with United Nations Space Command after the glassing of Harvest and other planets.

The Covenant mysterious discovered planet Reach home to the birthplace of UNSC super soldiers Spartans and an armada was on their way to Reach. Somehow the Covenant had no idea they found the wrong planet.

A white super carrier accurate forward towards the surface of Sera followed by destroyers, cruisers, battleships, frigate , corvettes and Super carriers.

Escort frigates and corvettes hove over the planet's surface readying their plasma-artillery cannons and heavy beam projectors to fire at the ready.

 **CAS assault super cruiser Shadow of Intend**

" This is odd. The coordinates for the humans main critical source for the producing warships and the war effort against us is correct but leading us to unknown territory isolate from the humans. I was expecting a battle from the humans." said Sangheii named Thel Vadamee as he glaze at the planet from the bridge through a screen.

" Indent, but why would the humans leave their planet unguarded." quested another elite under the name of Rtas Vadum commander of the Covenant Special Operation unit.

The Artiber frowned with confusion and turned to an elite working on the monitors. " Are the coordinates for Planet Reach is correct. The information we collected during our previous engagement with the humans." barked Thel " Is the information correct or not ? "

" The coordinates were correct sir. There was a interference involving a glitch in the system before, but the coordinates are still correct " report the elite who acted as the ship navigator.

" Good then , no need for minor reports. Send a short report to the engineers for minor maintenance on the servers." ordered the Elite commander.

" The great journeys will prevail." stated Thel as the entire bridge roared with pride.

"For the Covenant ! " roared Thel and Rtas

" For the Covenant !" roared the unggoy and sangheii crew in the bridge before returning to their post.

Rtas active the panel to the holotable and Rtas was about to make address the entire fleet.

" Attention all ships, prepare for combat , all troops remain on battle stations. Process landed the troops. Dropships first then the carriers." ordered Thel to the entire Covenant armada.

" Once your forces finished landing and establish a base of operations. The enemy forces on Reach will taste our might." said Rtas. " I will deployed the Special Operations units behind enemies to gather information and then we attack swiftly. We will burn them to the last man."

Thel smiled with confidence that the humans will going to be crushed under the iron boot of the Covenant war machine but he was unaware he lead the armada to the wrong planet after his fleet mistaken Sera for Reach.

" The humans face the wrath of the Covenant." said Thel turning away from Rtas facing the screen of the planet.

In the wide hanger of the super cruiser, most of the troops were ready to be deploy on Sera. The Covenant soldiers from unggoy , Yanme, Kig yar , mgalekgolo, Sangheili to Jiralhanae lined up in formations and marching towards their assignment development bays with all weapons at the ready

Covenant officers barking orders to the marching troops. The huragoks and Yanme engineers triple check all assault vehicles armed and ready before taking off.

Airborne Phantom and Spirit dropships containing troops, tanks and assault vehicles took off from the hanger and speed down the planet escorted by gunboats and banshees fighters along with other Covenant warships. The Invasion of Sera was the beginning but an end for the humans.

The people have Sera had no idea another enemy with such firepower was coming from outer space and soon Sera will face judgment of the Covenant.

* * *

 **0400 hours : August 30 2552 ( Military Calendar ) Current Location: Epsilon Eridani System Edge. Planet Reach. UNSC Pillar of Autumn**

Captain Keyes frowned as he crossed his hands patiently waiting for the covenant fleet to arrival. He and his ship arrived at Reach to participate in the defense of Planet Reach home to the largest strategic headquarter of the UNSC after the covenant find the location of Reach. The Master Chief stood beside the captain looking inactive. They waited hours for the covenant fleet to show up but they didn't came.

Reach was surrounded by UNSC destroyers , Cruisers and carriers along with orbital Super MAC guns ready for a fight

" I thought the Covenant would be here." said Captain Keyes with disappointment in his tone." We were told to regroup at the Epsilon System , I am not sure if the orders are too critical or not."

" We have our orders sir. Doesn't matter we like or not " said the Master Chief " The Covenant never miss the battles ; they probably are coming late Captain Keyes."

" You are right Master Chief. At least we have some time to get ready." said Keyes before offering his cup of coffee.

" Coffee Master Chief ? " asked Keyes.

" No thanks." said the Master Chief

The Master Chief and Captain Keyes became silent then the two stared at the forward screen to see if the Covenant was coming for not. The UNSC had no idea the Covenant had located the wrong planet Sera.

" Captain I think I would need a cup of coffee." said the Chief .

 **0420 hours; Sera Current Location: Azura, Serano** **Ocean**

The meanwhile everything at Azura was going so well as the COG quickly pick up the pieces from starch. Bodies and debris from the battle of Azura was removed in order make more room for the refugees. Azura was wide enough to fit thousands.

Life on Azura was going so well ; priorities from food and water were taken care of. People have a place to live and work on multiple roles without a care in the world.

Marcus without his armor walked out of the hotel passing crowds of gears and civilians to the mess hall. The lunch hall was filled with gears , civilians, refugees and stranded dinning. Marcus was hoping he could find his squad waiting for him during breakfast.

Suddenly he saw another crowd of people rushing outside chatting with excitement.

" What the hells going on ? "asked Marcus to himself as he rushed out of the mess hall to the scene. People were gathering on the beaching pointing to a distance and Gears with weapons at the ready.

Marcus positioned himself on a balcony to see the ocean's view but the difference is the skies were darken was away from the island. It was snapping some kind of blue or purple lighting and thunder within the distance away from Azura.

" What the hell is going on ? " asked Hoffman as they watch the storm from a distance.

" I don't know must be a storm or something else." said Marcus

" Whatever the hell that is on the other side. I got a bad feeling about this." said Hoffman before raising the his binocular took take a look.

Hoffman frowned deeply as he saw in the binocular something unfamiliar. A purple warship hovering in mid air that looks like some kind of exotic insect combined with the body of a whale watching the island.

Suddenly it hit him and Hoffman realized Sera now has a extraterrestrial problem.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2 : Invasion of Sera**

A swarm of phantoms and spirits troopships broke through the lower atmosphere followed by covenant carriers and assault cruisers . The assault force flew through the skies of Sera escorted by banshee fighters and teardrop seraphs. These dropships contained grunts, Brutes, Elites , Jackets , hunters and drones ready for war .

Banshees and seraphs plowed through the clouds as the invasion force glanced down at the surface of Sera , the troops were surprised by the devastation of the locust war the covenant never even heard of . The covenant were also confused why the humans would destroy their own city due to their arrogance and their fruitless attempt to suppress them the tactical advantage of establish a foothold.

Ruins of cities and urban landscape that were hit by the hammer of dawn strike were beyond reconstruction. Everything were in ashes what is left of the planet . The aftermath of the hammer strike were related to the covenant orbit glassing bombardment .

But the Covenant had no idea that they were attacking a wrong planet that just finished a war with the genocidal locust horde and the infesting lambent freaks.

The strike force was about 10,000 km away from the nearest city next to the coast soon shit was about to hit the fan. Their target was Turk Coast Port but their objectives were securing a forward operational base so the invasion force could unload troops and supplies for the covenant.

* * *

 **Turk Coast city**

Numerous stranded were camping in the ruins of the Turk Coast docks which serves as the large settlement for the survivors from the hammer, Boasts and small ships in the docks moving in and out without a reckoning .

Most the stranded were busy moving supplies , checking weapons or chatting. Others were wandering in the makeshift compound minding their own business. Nobody saw a swarm of strange purple ships heading toward the compound .

The banshees fighters powered up their forward plasma cannons before firing a volley of green blazing fire balls at the compound . The plasma volley smashed into the settlement. The docks and boats busted in a chain reaction of green and orange explosions . Dozens of stranded militia vaporized or flung in the air.

One of the stranded raced to the machine gun emplacement and opened a stream of 60 caliber rounds of a troika machine gun at the attack force. Rounds slatted on the energy fields of the phantom but the phantom suffered minimal damage in the armor.

One of the banshees break off from the attack group and opened fire with the plasma cannon ; rapid firing bolts from the banshee smashed into the gun emplacement killing the gunner.

People turned at the scene of the explosion and face the skies with horror on their faces . A large purple starship emerged from the skies unleashing thousands of dropships down to the surface of Sera . People scattered in all direction ; screaming and running away from the alien invaders.

Phantoms lowered themselves down to the ground and unleashed ground troops. The elites with different armor emerged from the drop ships with their plasma rifles , carbines , plasma repeaters and energy swords at the ready.

The stranded militia were the first to open fire with hammerbrust rifles , gnasher shotguns and retro lancers at the invaders.

The Elites fired back at the stranded while more phantoms and Spirits dropping more troops to the battlefield. But much to the stranded shock and horror ; the weapons defected off the glowing energy fields of the aliens.

The militia at the docks wiped out by plasma fire allowing covenant reinforcements landing on the docks.

Hunters , Grunts , Jackals, Drones ,Brutes and more elites dispersed from the dropships joining the battle. The stranded were force to retreat but the covenant unleashed more surprises and now the stranded all earn a painful taste of covenant plasma weaponry.

The stranded then realized they were facing an alien alliance right now.

Another CCS class battlecruiser emerged from skies before firing pulse laser and hell on the streets of Turk Coast city. Escape routes were turned into killzones as perfect timing drop pods with covenant warriors or artillery laser lancer form the battle cruiser hitting columns of running stranded into cratered graves.

Panicking survivors stumbled into ambushes from Kig-yar snipers or ripping apart by Sangheii Zealots with energy swords. Covenant infantry forces cut down all the stranded and executed the wounded humans .

A Elite smashed his sword into a Stranded militant in the chest and stabbed another militant who tried to fired a shotgun. A Kig Yar armed with a beam rifle sniped down three more stranded at a building.

A Hunter smashed it's foot on a wounded stranded who tried to crawl away in terror. A brute Chieftain swing his gravity hammer into a flee group of stranded and knocking them into the air.

On the street , a covenant battalion under engagement of a large barricade defended by network troikas heavy guns and multi-turrets.

Numerous Unggoy , Jackals and a handful of elites fell victim to the machine gun fire. A squad of Elites and unggoy were pinned down by a rock barrier .

Two hunters the juggernauts of the covenant army appeared around a corner before charging the barricade and held up their shields deflecting the 50 cal rounds . then one of the hunters raised the glowing assault cannon.

" Have the hunters advanced on their position ! " roared an leading elite " Attack pattern now ! "

The unggoy threw their plasma grenades in the air and stick them on the barricade.

The men on the barricade shouted at the others to get off the barricade .but too late the hunter fired a flaming plasma bolts at the barricade.

The barricade engulfed in chain reaction of plasma flames sending the stranded militia flying or burning in the air.

" What the fuck are those things ? " shouted a man with the name Pete at the barricade firing his hammerburst rifle at the nearest elite who fired back with his plasma rifle.

" Those things don't shoot bullets ! " yelled Stranded named Joey. " We got get the fuck out of the city ! "

" We got people here ! We aren't leaving ! Never mind-" shouted Pete without warning , some kind of shrapnel projectiles smashed into Pete's chest sending him to the ground. He was dead but his eyes widen open with horrorstruck

" Oh fuck ! " cried Joey with horror.

Joey ran dropping his rifle and spirit for his life. Left and right , people were slaughtered everywhere and it just like E-day over again. He ran past burning buildings and dead bodies of his fellow stranded and the survivors were picked off by bird like snipers , gorilla humanoids , fleshly worm like creatures , little orange armored freaks with backpacks and armored alien fighters resemble like Locust Thereon Guards .

Suddenly he felt his chest impaled by something invisible in the way and hot before his body was lifted up. His last moments of life was seeing the 12 feet alien in some kind of cameo armor staring right at them with hatred in it's eyes and growling.

The elite warrior growled with disgust before throwing the corpse of the stranded to the ground. The elite then turned to see another squad of elites finishing off the survivors. The covenant finally captured Turk Coast city.

A phantom landed in the deserted street as a column of Sangheill and Unggoy present with their weapons. The hatch opened revealing Thel in his armor stepping out of the dropship.

An Sangheili general in gold armor greeted him . " We ran into resistance , human scavenges were unlikely anything we encounter before. We wiped them out to the last man. We secured a landing zone for the ships." report the general.

" Good , we already secured the landing zones of the rest of the fleet. Well done for now but victory will have to wait for now." said Thel patting the general on the shoulders before turning to the rest of the troops.

" Troops , tended the wounded , set up defensive positions . Clear the dead . Set up a forward operational base here." barked Thel to the troops. " Give our fallen breathen a proper good bye."

Thel turned to the Sangheili general " I will expect armored divisions, artillery and air support arriving tomorrow. Then we will advanced on the next level."

" Sir , the troops aren't familiar with the terrain ; I recommended sending recon squads to oversee enemy positions." said the general.

" Good , assigned half of the infantry to recon the surrounding areas untouched of our invasion. Send out expedition lances to ensure our advances. Set up artillery chokepoints. Ordered the tanks to move out in the morning . I have other matters to tend." Thel ordered before waving off the general then surveyed the area of a street in ruins .

Thel noticed this world was different than the UNSC colonies unlike anything the covenant never seen. Thel wondered if he made a mistake in his leadership in the invasion of Sera.

Hours past by , as Turk Coast city became the largest forward operation base for the covenant . The buildings that weren't destroyed by the covenant were converted into barracks for the covenant. Wraith tanks , Brute Choppers , Spectres , Brute Prowlers, mobile artillery revenants Locust walkers and ghost bikes lined up on the side of the street.

Large ships hovering over the city and phantoms gunships were patrolling the city looking for troublemakers. Numerous stationary guns were set up on key locations. An anti air wraith was patrolling a quiet street

A group of Yamme and Hurggoks were repairing armor and weapons at the makeshift armory inside a store. Pair of grunts was sitting on top of the rusty truck toying with a empty troika machine gun.

A pack of grunts and Jackals were rack sacking a makeshift building. A squad of Unggoy were pushing a hover cart with a wounded Elite.

A pair of Maglekgolo were sleeping inside a wrecked two story building.

A brute was carrying a Musher mingun on its shoulders along with an ammo pack on the other hand and another Brute chieftain carrying a troika on the left hand and a gravity hammer on his right hand.

Another squad of Kig Yar were pushing a hover cart filled with looted goods and weapons. A platoon of Elites and Brutes were hanging out at a stranded makeshift garage inside a burnet out building looking at the weapons they collected from the stranded.

An elite warrior was glazing an hammerburst rifle before addressing to the sangheili officer. " Most the weapons we collected from the enemy seems function. But very primitive and deadly. "reported the elite warrior.

Another brute was analyzing a troika machine gun with interest and two brutes were growling at each other over a locust boomshot grenade launcher .

" Good most of the weapons will be going to the engineers right now. We have good use of these weaponry." said the sangheili officer holding up a sub pistol.

Thel walked silently through the streets to an wrecked hotel which serves as a headquarters. Sangheili officers inside the hotel were talking to each other , analyzing data in holo tables or working in consoles or termites. Other Sangheili minors were showing off the weapons they collected from the stranded.

Thel ignored them before ordering two Sangheili Zealots to guard his makeshift quarters of a dining room. His mind was scrambling with thought, clearly he didn't realize lead the fleet to a wrong planet filled with another civilization that is different from this so call UNSC. When the covenant got there , the whole planet was beyond repair and it was something the covenant never seen.

Thel shove his thoughts as he active the holographic pod . The pod reveals the global scale of Sera thanks to the data the covenant just collected during their reconnaissance. Thel narrowed his eyes on the planet and reports came pouring in that this planet was rumored to have immeasurable resource beyond exploration.

" So this planet is Reach after all , the prophets will impressive that we will allow this planet to be devote to the war effort. We will have the opportunity of creating a new frontline army that will face the humans and their master Chief." chucked Thel to himself as he watch the hologram of the Sera in his personal quarters.

* * *

 **Anvil Gate**

 **COG colony**

 **3 weeks after the war**

" 3 stranded attacks on the fort in three days. These assholes don't know when to give up." said Donneld Mathieson passing a file to Hoffman who took a slipped of coffee from his mug.

Hoffman signed before inhaling through a cigarette as he read the report in his lap. " 't make any sense . The war is over. This is supposed to be a chance to start over not getting even with the stranded." growled Hoffman as he tear the report into pieces.

Deep with stress from reading the causality report. " We will deal with them later for now. Now then , who on scouting duty today." asked Hoffman as he change the subject. But he conti

" Pad , Dizzy and Alex. They are just about to return to base in an hour." said Donneld. " But Bandit squad hasn't report back to the fort."

" When is the last them we have radio contact with bandit squad ? "asked Hoffman.

Meanwhile somewhere at the forest , Pad , Alex and Dizzy patrolling an area. " Hey Dizzy , you finished up with that moonshine yesterday. I forgot about your moonshine special." said Pad.

" Ha , no worries I got plenty for everyone." chucked Dizzy. " Wars over , no big deal and guess we will stay good bye to the grubs for good."

" Looks like drinks are on me , shit we are getting late . What to call it a night ? " asked Alex. " My round almost done."

"Ah hell ." murmured Pad with disappointment as the group take 5 while settling themselves down. Pad and Dizzy both pull out their cigarettes and then Pad shared a cigarette with Alex . After a short break , the three returned to their patrol.

" I am sorry for what happen to Dom." said Pad " Good man he was . Nobody deserve this. Dom is still one of the few good friends I know. We been through hell together."

" No shit." said Alex as she corrected Pad " You mean all of us been through hell together."

" I was there Pad, Dom save us all son so we could win for good." said Dizzy taking off his hat putting it on his chest as the three gears had a moment of silent.

Suddenly , a scream came from the other side of the forest im causing the gears to snapped into action mode. The gears rushed through the dirt trail before turning a corner to see a squad of Gears laying motionless next to a red armored humanoid with a full helmet covering it's face holding an glowing two blue blade. It was holding a handful of COG dogtags.

Alex recognized the missing squad ; Bandit squad.

Alex and Pad were the first to open fire with their lancers but at the same time the mysterious armored figure dashed into the treeline. Stream of lead flying the air as the creature flee.

Dizzy , Alex and Pad continued firing their lancers at the fleeing figure as it zig zag into cover behind the trees .  
" What the hell is that ? " shouted Dizzy " Locust ?"

" I don't know ! It a Theron ! " shouted Pad " It not human ! Kill it , dam that thing is fast."

" I don't care , fuck this and shot it ! "yelled Alex

Several lancer rounds smashed into the creature but when the bullets found their mark . The figure's armored flickered a glow wave and the mysterious shielding deflected the bullets.

" You fucking kidding me ! The grub got somekind of shielding or something. But it not human ! Fuck ! " shouted Alex in shock as she fired the lancer . Much to the group horror, their shots had no effect on the creature's mysterious shielding armor as it ran.

Suddenly the red armored reptilian humanoid suddenly disappeared in a blink as it went invisible. The gears were dumbstruck on how the creature made itself invisible and they didn't realized there was an alien on their planet.

" That must be a new breed of grubs. We got to get back to the fort now. I can't believe the dam grubs got big ass oriental sword or something fucking ." said Alex " The locust are back shit ! "

" What the hell are we going to tell Hoffman about this. Aw hell Hoffman going to be the first to kill me." said Dizzy.

" Then me." said Pad

" You see that thing did , it got some kind of technological armor …..shit how the thing ….. aw" growled Alex as she doesn't have clue of what to say.

"What the hell is that thing ? "asked Pad with concern.

" Yeah what the fuck is that thing ? " added Alex " That thing just killed bandit squad."

"Look son , I got no clue .I have no idea." said Dizzy. " Something is out there Pad. But they aren't welcome kind."


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3 : Fighting a new enemy**

Alex , Pad and Dizzy ran out of the woods barely out of breath before finding the pickup truck with a machine gun. With hearts pounded rapidly.

" We got to get back to the fort before those friends of his show up for a not so welcome party." called out Dizzy

" Do you think ? The grub has some big ass sword we never seen." yelled Alex " I think we just stir up an hornet nest." as Alex entered into the truck. Pad hopped on the back of the truck to man the machine gun.

" Come on ! " barked Alex " Can this thing go faster or not."

" Give me break sweetheart. I am trying to fire betty up." protested Dizzy while he kept on turning on the engines. " Dam the engine jam or something."

" Hurry up Dizzy. We going have-" suddenly Pad heard rumbling behind his back. Pad turned and his eyes wide open as hell. Suddenly Pad froze in shock as he saw something new and never seen before. Dizzy and Alex turned too with shock and horror.

A pair 12 feet tall creatures armed in blue armor with orange fresh expose emerged from the trees . It has a strange cannon with green glowing crystals and a large blade shield. The creature let out a roar as the creatures raised their cannons.

The Gears realized they do not shoot bullets. " Start the truck get us out of here ! " shouted Pad snapped from his shock before firing the machine gun in panic. The truck speed forward and Pad firing the machine gun. The creature rose it shield deflecting the bullets and another creature fired a bolt of energy. The bolts flew past the truck and detonate in an explosion of green.

" Shit ! " cursed Dizzy turnings the wheel rapidly. " SHIT , SHIT ! " cursed Alex " What the hell are those big ass freaks."

" We going back to the fort ! " shouted Dizzy " Before these buggers could get their hands on my moonshine ! "

Dizzy drove the truck as fast as the packwagon can and Pad was suppressing the creatures with the machine gun. Bolts flew and detonate into the trail road .

The packwagon disappeared into the next row of trees and out of range from the creatures cannons. The Hunter pair lowered their assault cannons in disappointment and grumbled with frustration before turning back the way they came.

The red armored Sangheili Zealot standing on a cliff watching the packwagon containing his foes ran away. The zealot was holding four dogtags belonging to four COG gear soldier just been slayed. It growled with anger as the last of the foes speed away to safety. Then Zealot ordered three Spec- Op Sangheili and two Skimmer commandos to follow the humans before the Zealot walked away.

Dizzy sighed with relief as he held the steering wheel tight , Alex was reloading her lancer and Pad was on over watch with the machine gun. " What the hell are we up against." groaned Alex " We just fought the lambent. This is supposed to be a normal patrol not a bullshit fire fight."

" You may want to tell that to Hoffman and Bernie. I am thought I am done with war or something."

Pad active his tac/Com to a secure radio channel. " Get me Hoffman ! Now ! We just been under attack."

Dizzy turned on his left and his mouth dropped in shock . " Great shitload of god ! " Dizzy gasped as he lost focus on the road. The packwagon stop for a moment . Pad turned and stared at the skies with his mouth drop slack. They saw a massive purple warship emerging from the skies hovering over the green fields of the forest.

* * *

 **Turk Coast City**

 **Forward Operation Base**

Thel stared at the morning sun rise from the balcony of the hotel peacefully and glance down at his troops assembling themselves below. The Elites , Grunts , Jackets , Hunters, Drones and Brutes finished their meals , preparing weapons and assembling various equipments.

An Unggoy Deacon came to the balcony to begin his report. " The fleet uh just dropped off the scarabs fleet master." reported the Unggoy Deacon.

Thel nodded with approval and said nothing as he made past the unggoy Deacon before heading down to the command centre. Numerous Elites and Grunts at the console analyzing data and making reports before greeting Thel with respect.

Thel active the terminal revealing a holographic map of Sera's continent. A recording from scouts has proof of humans living in settlements across Sera in terrible conditions. Thel was disgusted of the humans living in savagery in this world . One thing in mid : The humans must be purge by the ordered of the prophets.

" Have the main force concentrating on capturing regions and send out reconnaissance lances to unfamiliar territories. Send teams of scouts to confirm the regions aren't expecting heavy resistance." ordered Thel to the Elite major on his life. The Elite major nodded with approval and hurried to give the order.

Thel tapped on the console before broadcasting a channel throughout the covenant battle network. "Attention all troops , the time has come. We will be moving soon. Prepare for combat. "

 **" It is time to show the humans who we are. It is time to reveal the true purpose of the covenant. Broadcast all human channels and we will show them a message that we are not afraid of their savagery."** said Thel in his speech as he pace around his warriors gathering in the command center.

 **" We seen the horrors from the savagery of the humans . They cannot be tolerated no more ! We will cleanse these human savages from this planet. We are strong , We do not fear their heretics , they will fear us. We are Covenant ! "**

" **FOR THE COVENANT** ! " roared the Covenant soldiers with triumph raising their weapons with pride.

" **NO MERCY ! NO PRISONERS ! "** roared Sangheili in the control room.

 **" GIVE THEM NO HONOR TO FIGHT IN GLORY! "** roared Thel **" GIVE THEM NOTHING ! THE GREAT JOURNEY MUST PREVIL ! "**

 **" For the COVENANT ! FOR THE GREAT JOURNEY."** chatted the Elites.

Hundreds of Covenant infantry began to board the phantoms and dozens of armored vehicles ranging from wraith tanks to Ghosts drove through the highways leading to unknown territory escorted by battalions of Sangheili , Unggoy , Mgalekgolo, Jiralhanae , yamme and Kig yag . Phantoms and banshees flew overhead to their destination.

Massive warships hove over the skies displaying their military might.

The Covenant has come to Sera and they wouldn't rest until Sera was in the hands of the Covenant.

* * *

 **Azura**

The CIC used to have seldom used in a calm month during the end of the war. Now the large CIC was buzzing with activities , Gears and officers from what was left of the COG walking around , speaking to their headpieces and murmuring to each other. Officers and Ops staff were manning Monitors and screens. Others were watching the radio.

The COG thought they were done for good until today ; dozen Stranded and COG Colonies were attacked by an unknown enemy. The rest had gone dark. Radios were jammed mysteriously and Intel was limited.

Anya at the CIC was reading disturbing content from a report . She couldn't believe it was happening after 3 weeks ; everything they tried to rebuild was about to be destroyed by an unknown and underestimating enemy. Reports indicated the enemy brought tanks and aircraft with advance weaponry. It was not human according to reports until the information been cut off from the main land mysteriously.

Thankfully Anvil Gate just send out the Intel before their communications were jammed . Anya turned to see Marcus along with Braid, Cole and Sam. Anya smiled softy before directed them to a table for debriefing.

" You look busy from yesterday Lieutenants. I don't know what the hell going on Anya . This better not be-" said Marcus.

Before Anya could respond .His sentence was cut off when the computer screens around the CIC turned off before turned on again revealing the face of a creature of a large form , with no jaw but four mandibles wearing sliver armor. Everyone in the room froze in shock even Delta squad too with dead silent.

" What the hell is that ? " gasped Sam

 **" Humans of Reach ! "** boomed the creature causing an reaction of surprise through the CIC room. They could not believe the creature just spoke right infront of them. They were staring at an alien for the first time in history instead of a the locust.

Marcus was never been this shock in his whole life , he spend years of hell fighting against the locust and the lambent and he had never seen such an alien from outer space. He thought aliens were just makeup stories . Now the COG was facing a new threat from the skies.

 **" Your destruction is the will of the gods. "** said the Creature with hatred and venom **" We are their instrument. We will burn your savagery hides from the skies. We will burn your planet to ashes . We are the Covenant ."**

It eyes shinned with fire that sends a chill of fear in every COG soldier in the CIC expected for Marcus who squeezed his fist tight.

Finally the creature said **" WE ARE COMING FOR ALL OF YOU. We have come for you."**


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4 : Beginning of the Fall**

" Someone turn this shit off . It creeping us out ! " shouted Marcus to one of the gears. The entire room of the CIC was dead silent still in a state of shock and fear unlike the events exploding from E-day 15 years ago. The image of the creature was terrifying but continued to berate the room with a wrathful of words. The recording plays repeatedly again. This time it wasn't locust and it was an alien.

The Gear Officer standing beside a desk froze forgetting what to do. " Well someone kill the switch ! Hey! You deaf! Turn that shit off! Or I whoop your ass ! "yelled Marcus sharply . The Gear hesitated and rush to the server room before shutting the power to the CIC then restart the system. Once the screens in the CIC was shut down , the whole room breathed with relief before returning to work.

"What the hell was that ? " asked Jace " Don't tell me we are dealing with grubs again."

" That was too dam creepy for a grub. Doesn't look like locust to me but it sure something else." said Sam " Burn our cowardly hides well shit. I don't buy it."

" Hey I have no idea , if the grubs are back or not." shoot back Baird. " They don't come up with bigass speeches of I decide war and kills us."

" Jace and Baird shut up ! Next thing I want to do is create a panic if anyone finds out about this." warned Marcus " We figure this out now. I didn't come here for some scary movie , I better hope this is important ."

" Marcus ! "said Anya motioned to a table " That why were are here because we have critical Intel back on the mainland. "

" When is the last we have radio contract back at Anvil Gate ? " asked Sam " Something wasn't right."

" Two days ago Sam." said Anya

Sam , Jace , Baird , Cole and Marcus gathered around the table as Anya hand out the reports. "Two days ago , we receiving reports of COG and Stranded Colonies across Sera under attack by some kind of unknown enemy. No one knows how after we lost contact back on the main land." said Anya. " We have no idea what we are dealing."

" Thankfully Bernie and Hoffman ask for reinforcements at the fort." said Anya

" You tell me the Locust or the lambent are back ? " asked Marcus seriously.

" We don't know if they still kicking." said Cole " If they did , we would finished them off by now."

" That explains we lost radio contact with Anvil Gate few days ago." said Marcus " We haven't any proof of what the hell going on."

" We are working on it." said Anya. " We have multiple distress calls across Sera with reports with unknown hostile forces invading the mainland but not human. Now communications were cutting off slowly. We know is that those things have tanks , aircraft and artillery with weaponry everyone else never seen. But not human."

The other squad members murmured to each other with eyebrows raising at Anya. " Those things were heavily armed and they don't shot bullets not to mention in various sizes." said Anya flipping the pages with the whole squad listening with interest.

" Did Anya say they don't shoot bullets I mean Locust don't have lasers." said Jace

Anya explained a report with the descriptions of the hostile invaders appearing over Sera . Ranged from large gorilla humanoids , short beings with heavy backpacks, colossal worms in battleship armor with heavy artillery cannons, skinny half bird men , Green bugs resemble like maggots with legs , floating jellyfish with tentacles and finally 12 feet size lizard like creatures resembles the locust thereon guards with big ass blue swords.

That didn't sound like the locust horde was operating again.

The whole squad included Marcus listened with surprise not to mention shock and confusion. The COG was worried about the arrival of this Covenant and the Covenant don't normally emerged from the ground like the locust.

" What a minute ? It been 3 weeks after the god dam war and now we are on high alert because I have no idea what we are up against. I thought Marcus 's dad's generator worked on the grubs." said Baird " Where the hell is this all coming from. When do those things or the grubs got tanks or artillery but something shitty going on."

" I don't believe this." said Marcus " We just wasted 15 years of war and now this ? Something crosses the line Anya."

"Whatever it is , I sure have a bad feeling and everything we work hard for is going to shit because of this Covenant. " said Sam.

" What kind of name is that ? Covenant ? " asked Jace curiously " Man that doesn't scare the shit out me."

" Hey we don't know if those things come knocking on the front door. We better be ready and next we need the Maelstorm barrier up and ready. It would be better off fighting those things head on. Once the maelstrom barrier is up. " said Marcus. " Incase, we need to lay low as possible just as the dust settles

" Baird ! Take a group of engineers and other volunteers down to the generator room and get it fixed. Next thing , we want is a full scale island blow out by those things." said Marcus

" I see what I can do." said Baird.

" Once the Maelstorm barrier is functioning. We may need laying lower just in case everything go wrong so we could let the dust settles."

" On the mean time as unusual, we will head to Anvil Gate ASAP. We load up supplies and weapons and be on our way. Everyone else armored up and lets go." finished Marcus raising from the table.

* * *

 **Turk Coast City**

 **Covenant main forward Operation Base**

" As you can see Arbiter." said the Sangheili General in his report to Thel in the control centre. A holographic terminal shows the presentation of the surface of the planet.

"Most of the surface has been decimated, beyond repair and the humans brought it to themselves to scorch their own cities in suicide. We had never seen such savage graveyard. "said the Sangheili general.

" This planet may be scorched but the hierarchs may have use for this planet because I always spoken to them." said Thel. " The hierarchs informed me this ' Sera' contains immeasurable but critical resources and the hierarchs have high hopes of creating a new frontline elite army for the covenant. Reach will have to wait for now."

Thel rose from his feet " If there were human settlements in the present. The Covenant must purge them. Burn their savageries hides and reclaim Sera from the humans. We must prepare an attack force on the largest human stronghold Anvil Gate. "

" What about the lesser settlements ? " asked the Sangheili general.

" That will be dealt soon." said Thel before turning to the screen reading a report

After capturing and interrogating several human prisoners for information, so far the Covenant learned the planet already been through hell with the Locust Horde and the lambent for over 15 years. Covenant reconnaissance probes and ships reported massive destruction across the planet ; massive lost of life , cities were burned to the ground and nothing but ruin.

During the first hours of the invasion , Covenant forces established numerous footholds on every continent across Sera. The covenant managed to liberate a number stockpiles and stash of COG and Locust weaponry ; most of the covenant took interest in such primitive weaponry and took action in savaging as many weapons as possible .

Most of the weapons savaged went to the engineers for improvement, reversing and augmentation the weapons for mass production before releasing the weapons to the handpicked troops for combat.

Word came from the fleet in orbit with news of this 'Hammer of Dawn' weapon been recovered and been research by the engineers.

The brutes began favoring the Muchler mingun , mortars , flamers and the Vulcan heavy cannons however both the Kigyar impressed with the use of longshot rifles even the unggoy and the Yamme .The sangheili also favoring the hammerburst rifle , gnasher shotguns , one-shots and the lancers.

The Covenant still did not admit they mistaken Sera for Reach and about to finish what the locust horde started.

Thel turned to another holo screen feature a CAS super carrier and small frigates hovering over a ridge forestry landscape. Thel watched as the super carrier powered up its energy beam projectile.

" Arbiter ? Shall I give the order to fire." call out a commander over the intercom of the portable screen.

" Commander, you are clear to fire. Reduce Sera to Glass. " said Thel as he watch as the Super Carrier fired a beam of purple light down to the landscape , he watch from the screen as the orbital lance impacting the ground similar to the hammer of dawn strikes. Blue Clouds of energy , electricity and plasma spreading across the land and devouring everything in its flaming path. The other frigates fired their energy projectiles glassing the continent.

This was the beginning of the Sera's fall.

* * *

 **COG settlement**

A Horde of Covenant soldiers from Grunts , Brutes , Elites , Hunters and Drones charging forward a COG settlement with guns blazing followed by Wraiths tanks and Ghosts. They advanced down to the ridge towards a farming Settlement near the coast.

Gears and civilians were minding their usual farming routines at the settlements until they saw sleek purple hulls with anti gravity systems and plasma heavy cannons on top towards the farms followed by hundreds of creatures in armor and various sizes with advance weapons the COG never seen.

The Wraith tanks , spearhead of the Covenant army unleashed a crack storm of splitting dark red and purple fire. Plasma and lasers rained hell on the community. Explosions peppered the farm grounds sending people packing.

Kig-yar snipers and marksmen took position behind a trenched ditch were the first to open fire from long range; sniping as many Gears or civilians at the farms. Heavy weapon specialist unggoy squads hostelling their shoulder artillery fuel rod cannons or plasma launchers sniped groups of civilians running for cover.

A Unggoy minor manning a plasma cannon and unleashing a stream of blue tracers on the settlement.

The civilians ran for the heavily guard settlement and the Gears attempted to mobilize an evacuation; Trucks were loaded up with civilians eager to get away from the fighting as Gears rushed towards the source of the incoming battle.

Numerous Gears took positions behind makeshift walls , APCs and barricades. The settlement was well forfeited with chain gun turrets and sniper towers. Bullets, lasers , and plasma projectiles flying back and forth.

" What the hell are those things ? "yelled a Gear firing his lancer at a crowd of Grunts firing their plasma pistols.

" I don't know." yelled another Gear captain " Get me Anvil Gate , someone tell them we are under attack ! "

" We are leaving ! Head for the fort ! " shouted another Gear directing civilians to the trucks through the chaos.

Wraith tanks fired a volley of tear drop plasma into the ruins of a town. large Plasma bolts , streams of lasers and projectiles smashed into COG defensive positions knocking Gears off their feet.

" FOR SANGHEILOS! " roared an Elite leading the charge.

The Gears were firing back everything they got at the Covenant but overwhelmed by the underestimate fire power of the covenant. Gears shot down one by one. Swarm of Grunts and Jackals charged forward with plasma pistols , fuel rods and needlers firing.

Gears fired their lancers killing dozens of Grunts and Jackals. But much to the horror of the Gears , their weapons were less effective against the ray shields of the Elites and the power armor of the brutes and Hunters.

Elite rangers firing their plasma carbines and beam rifles in mid flight , with Elite warriors charging forward with plasma swords and plasma rifles supported by Grunts , drone squads and jackal troops.

Brutes let out a war cry as they charged forward with spikers blazing , plasma repeaters and firing a barrage of Brute shot rounds. Hunters fired beams of green plasma from their assault cannons.

Wraiths tanks and Revenants fired heavy plasma cannons providing support for the covenant troops. Support from the Elites on Specters operating the plasma turrets gunning down COG infantry and militants. The sheer force of the covenant overwhelmed the defenders. Gears started forced to retreat as they realize they underestimate the firepower of the covenant.

An Elite major executed a wounded Gear with a single shot from the plasma repeater before ripping a dog tag from the neck of the Gear.

Elites zealots and Brutes draw plasma swords or Combat knifes and engaged in close combat in and out of the buildings. As Elite rangers and Jump Brutes, provide suppressing fire support on the defenders.

The settlement was burning to the ground as the covenant entered the settlement with gun blazing slaughtering everything in their path. The Settlement was lost

Stream of COG vehicles containing survivors flee the burning settlement and the survivors headed for Anvil Gate.

Suddenly the ground shock violently causing the convey to shake. A large purple machine like insect came face to face with the shocked COG forces. The Type 47 Heavy assault platform called the scarab ; the most dangerous vehicle of the Covenant.

The Scarab give a deafen roar while the scarab fired its main gun as it fired a hose like a beam of ignited plasma . Those who were caught in the beam were all killed. What was left of the survivors were nothing but flaming trucks and burned bodies of the COG.

Covenant soldiers let out a roar of triumph. The Covenant then stripped Dead Gears off their armor and weapons as trophies. The sangheili warriors began collecting dog tags and other weapons to establish their kills.

The battle was over and the fall of Sera was just the beginning.

* * *

 **Azura**

 **COG stronghold**

Marcus placed his kitbag into the raven copter before placing Anya's kitbag into the raven. Marcus turned to see Cole , Baird , Sam along with Jace coming to the helipad with their kitbags. While Marcus break off from the raven toward his friends . While Marcus was talking with the rest of the group.

Anya secretly pull out a pregnancy device from her poach. The device blinking positive for red. Anya smiled to herself as she assure herself that she was pregnant with Marcus 's child and high hopes for the future. She was going to tell Marcus right this moment.

War has a way to bond people broken or not together even Delta squad ; Delta was more than a squad but a family merged from the horrors of war. Soon , they began to fathom the horrors they bound to face from the Covenant war machine.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5 : The Conquest**

The holoprojector reveals the blue wave form of the prophet of Truth with Thel kneeing with honorary in addressing to the covenant leader.

" You have summon me hierarch ?" asked Thel.

" Yes Arbiter , " said Truth. " I had learned that you lead your campaign in the uncharted space territory isolated from the humans. Instead of attacking planet Reach serves as war effort ."

" My hierarch , I –" said Thel as the prophet cut him off. "You allowed such a minor flaw to misguide your campaign invading Sera instead of Reach."

The prophet continued " But misguidance and misunderstanding will lead to dangerous consequences however we found the invasion progress in the reports very disturbing."

Thel rose his head up " The fleet may miscalculated the whereabouts of the human stronghold. I had no intention of correcting this mistake but I will take full responsibly for such a flaw."

But the prophet waved him off and said in a authority in his tongue " Arbiter ! What the high council found is disturbing in the reports is you found a planet already been through a scorching war only at the brink of destruction . But I didn't hesitate to continue. Your flaw has leaded the covenant in discovering of a new world that is isolated over trillions of years. "

Truth continued " Sera is unlike anything we encounter. Sera have immeasurable strategic value with the necessary resources that will feed our war machine."

" But the council will let this pass for now . How fortunate of you. For now on , you will be given a task of conquering the planet. Destroy any resistance but Sera must be devoted to the war effort that will give us the edge against the humans." said Truth.

" Wisdom !" called Thel " I recommend of creating a new elite front line army once Sera is conquer. The humans on Sera had provided the necessaries for the covenant. We have high hopes of building a new army for the covenant."

" That will be a idea the council will discuss." said Truth. " You have your orders , carry them out."

" It will be done my hierarch." said Thel turning away from the projector.

Thel was back in his own thoughts in the past two days during the conquest of Sera. He and the rest of the covenant were unaware of the damage caused by the locust horde. After obtaining heavy information from a COG satellite with footages of E day with the locust horde attacking . Billions of people across Sera killed by the locust horde in a second that disgusted the Covenant and last until 16 years of fighting.

The Covenant couldn't believe how the Serans went barbaric so easily because of the locust war and distributed by this so called locust horde this time. But the Covenant was glad the locust horde was wiped out by a mysterious weapon because they wouldn't be dealing with humans or the Locust at the same time.

But the Covenant will finish what the locust had started.

However , thanks to the technology on Sera with new weapons were introduced adapted to the Covenant. New ranks introduced to the Covenant army since the covenant sees an opportunity to build up a war effort unknown to the humans.

The Covenant managed to capture an abandon military base named Onyx Point in Havoc Bay and convert it into their makeshift Central Command Centre and factory. With the necessary supplies and resources savaged from the ruins of Jacinto City.

The Covenant now creates new technology at a rapid rate in order to adapt ongoing warfare with the humans.

New unggoy specialists were introduced such as the Unggoy sniper ; Unggoy snipers were handpicked from Unggoy squads for their strong eye sight in accuracy but bravery. Unggoy Snipers were given face protected helmets with advanced targeting visors before taking arms of the new sniper rifle inspired by the COG longshot. named the Anti Personal Pulse Type 99.

The Pulse type 99 is the reverse vision of the longshot sniper rifle. This model is very precise , extreme firing rate , and can fire long range pulse plasma silently. But capable of firing 10 shots,

The Unggoy troops were also provided an full assault combat bipedal mechanized walker infantry know as the Mechtiod. Thanks to the inspiration of the COG sliverback , the Covenant decided to developed a bipedal for the lesser Unggoy , Yamme and Kig Yar . This Mechanized battle suit walker now has a plasma pulse min cannon on it's left arm and another has a fuel rod launcher on the other right hand with a fully equipped energy shielding technology.

The Mechtiod serves as an mechanized infantry unit for full scale combat engagements

Jiralhanae Elites were the assault elite troopers armed with Troika heavy LMGs. Jiralhanae Elites given an upgraded vision to the ordinary spiker carbine. The brutes were impressed with the locust brutal machine gun and the brutes reverse the locust weaponry into their arsenal.

The Troikas were redesigned and out fitted with machete bayonets . Thanks to the combination of Jiralhanae and Sangheili technology , the Troika shoots rapid fire incendiary plasma superheated projectiles but designed for antipersonnel only.

Jiralhanae Vanguards were the heavy troopers armed with the heaviest weaponary the covenant has to offer. Brute Vanguards were equipped with mulcher minguns ,Valucum Cannons and Rocket launchers. The Brutes replaced the heavy weaponry with incendiary superheated gauss ammunition for extra carnage.

Heavy Mgalekgolo are the new Hunter models handpicked from the Covenant army as heavy weapon specialists . Heavy Mgalekgolo ( Hunters ) pairs were reequipped with heavy grey armor equipped with personal energy shields and hand held central oval-shaped blade shields with four plates.

However both Heavy Hunters carry different weapons. One of them was equipped with a plasma thrower based on the assault cannon. The plasma thrower was inspired by the scorcher flamethrower instead of spiting fire , the covenant decide to create this kind of weapon that project a wave full stream of plasma fire at close to long range.

Another Hunter would be equipped with duel heavy barrel cannons that would fire a barrage of holotargeting plasma dagger tracers at a sheer rate of fire like the Vulcan cannon.

Advance Recon Commando Sangheili were the spearhead of the Sangheili unlike the elite minors variants . They were known to be fiercely independent, innately creative, and physical superior to any other covenant soldiers .

The ARC Sangehili severed the covenant as All Purpose infantry who assigned to operate dangerous missions behind enemy lines in or out . ARC Elites wore Grey combat body armor with heavy energy shields and equipped with jet packs and stealth cameo ability. ARC Elites were armed with heavy pulse assault plasma rifles , Scattered Plasma type 98 rifles , energy swords and blades.

The heavy 88 blaster assault type rifle is a semi-automatic assault carbine that fires quiet strips of laser projectiles at a rapid rate of fire . It was almost like the assault lancer without the chainsaw bayonet instead equipped with single shot plasma guass cannon designed to fight heavier vehicles.

The Scattered Plasma type 98 rifle is a semi-shotgun that fires nonstop waves of laser.

Thel had high hopes this new found elite army will soon meet the challenge of fighting the UNSC. Thel vow he will finish what the locust horde started 15 years ago. He glanced at the sunset at his new found operational base as he placed his fist on his chest.

" Thank the gods for this opportunity to turn the tide of war." Thel said out loud before whispering a warrior's pray.

* * *

 **4 Years later**

 **0009 hours , January 5 2558 : Earth's orbit**

 **Four months after the Phoenix incident**

Captain Thomas Lasky stepped out of the pressure blast doors into the bridge of the UNSC's biggest warship Infinity. Officers , Helmsmen and personal walking or working with various holopads in their hands or working on smart screen computers. Each men and women busy working on infinity. He greeted the entire crew after addressing him.

Lasky took a slip from his cup of coffee as he stared at the holotable displaying a holographic map.

" Good morning Captain Lasky." boomed Roland the ship's AI saluting the captain.

" All systems are accounted for and slipspace jump is ready to go on your call. Captain Lasky." said Roland.

" Alright ladies and gentlemen our next trip will be Requiem. Buckle up we jumping to Slipspace-" said Lasky as his sentence was cut off when Lasky felt a gun pointed behind his neck.

" I don't think you going to make it." growled a voice behind the captain.

Lasky turned as he came face to face with ODST in full armor. The ODST pull off his helmet revealing older looking man with a half of his face burned of scars that deep also the ODST was wearing a blue bandana. His ODST armor was covered with C4 packs and grenades.

Laksy's eyes widen with shock as he took a step back with his hands slowly raised in the air. The crew in the bridge reel back in shock to see a Rogue ODST taking a hostage.

" Nobody move ! Or I will blow the bridge up." shouted the man raising a detonator in his other hand.

" He got a bomb ! " shouted the crewman as half the bridge burst into a panic and rushing for safety but Marcus ignored them only to stared at a shocked Lasky. The entire bridge was evacuated expect for the Captain and the rouge ODST terrorist.

"Look this is not how it going to work." protest Lasky " What it's wouldn't get what you wanted."

" Shut up ! I don't care. " barked the man sending a chill down on Lasky's spine.

" What do you really want ? and who the hell are you ? " asked Lasky

"Marcus Fenix. I what I really want. " said Marcus pointing his assault rifle to the computer " I am going to Sangehelios and I going in kill every single one of them. "

" Are telling me you are about to commit a genocide ? " gasped Lasky in horror.

" Yeah I am going kill every last one of them you hear me ? " yelled Marcus " I want to go to fucking Sangehelios ! We going kill every last one of them. Every Brute , Elite , Grunts , Jackals , Hunters and everyone , send them off to the stone age ! You going to help fucking me do it."

" That not going to happen . I am not capable of committing genocide- " Lasky' was cut off as Marcus brutally smack Lasky in the face with his assault rifle.

Lasky fell into the table holding his face before Marcus smashed another punch into Lasky's stomach . Lasky coughed with pain and blood as he was thrown off the table to the ground from the brutality. Marcus handcuffed Lasky's hands behind his back before kicking the captain in the stomach.

His nose was bleeding , tasting his own blood and Lasky felt the bruises on his left eye

Marcus just stood there looking calm with his rifle trained on Lasky. " If you don't I kill everyone onboard and the whole ship. I can blow the ship up but I am ready to fucking die."

Lasky stare with horror at the rouge ODST who threaten to kill his crew and his insane idea of killing every Covenant species in the galaxy. This man was overkill.

" You think I am crazy I am ? Well fuck you. " asked Marcus. " I am been watching this ship the whole time. What do think ? I am what ? your slave ?"

" You have no idea what you are about to unleashed here." protest Lasky " You are going to start another war. You got understand this. " raising his hands in defense.

" I listening." said Marcus with vemon in his tone.

" These people onboard , they got nothing to do with you. Men and women we on the same side ; they are just following orders." begged Lasky " I am begging you there is no turning back if you do this. There are innocent people onboard"

" That a lie! Fucking Lair ! " shouted Marcus pointing to a direction " Anya told me ! "

" Anya ? But-"

The word struck a nerve into Marcus as he went basaltic . He grabbed Lasky by the neck who struggled against him with his right arm lighting the captain up.

" DON'T SAY HER NAME ! DON"T YOU SAY HER FUCKING NAME ! Don't you say her Fucking name. " Marcus screamed before smashed Lasky on the holotable

" God Dam it ! I only following orders." begged Lasky.

" Your orders are shit ! FUCK YOU ! FUCK the UNSC ! It doesn't even matter."

" Hey ! " shouted Roland as his avatar form came up from the holotable. " Leaving the Captain alone."

Marcus turned with Lasky in a chokehold to face the AI. " What are you going to do ? Bring the whole ship to the bridge."

" You are insane! The whole war fired your mind , have it ? " berated Roland " You think you are dead serious about committing a full scale genocide and get away with it. You are crossing the line. "

"What do you mean fired my mind. Oh yeah ? You think I am crazy. Does Sera ring any bells to you ? " growled Marcus pinning Lasky down at the table. His face pressed against the table.

" Sera I never heard of it." said Roland " That impossible databanks never have any record of any UNSC colony with the name Sera."

" Oh really little man." sneered Marcus " Let try this again. One last time, before I kill the captain. Show me Sera ! You piece of shit !"

" Do it Roland. Get access to ONI files now. Find Sera." cried out Lasky.

Then a holofile appeared in mid air of the table with the file state Sera. Marcus released Lasky as he collapsed on the metal floor gasping for breath.

Marcus tapped on the holofile and release a document with the name Unknown Planet Sera with video of the planet's surface boiled with flames surrounded by hundreds of covenant warships firing plasma artillery down on the planet wiping out all life on Sera

Marcus closed his eyes as he turned away from the holotable, unable to bear watching his planet burned.

" Is this what you are trying to show me ? " questioned Lasky as he slowly getting up with another hand on the railing. His eyes widen as he glance at the video of Sera burning and look up to Marcus.

" I am so sorry for this and everything you have gone through." said Lasky sympathy " I am really am. Everyone in the UNSC has gone through that."

Marcus didn't buy it but he was still full of hate and anger still didn't want to do anything with the UNSC abandon his planet and the rest of the human race on Sera to die.

" If there is else , something going on Sera. You could have told the UNSC everything. The UNSC could help your people if we had the chance." said Lasky.

Marcus glanced daggers at Lasky furiously, " You think I am that stupid, This on the UNSC for leaving everyone back on that hellhole to die. The rest of the COG died with it 6 years ago ! You have no idea !"

" But the planet was lost to the Covenant." protested Lasky " There nothing the UNSC could do-"

" No you listen to me ! " roared Marcus raising the gun at Lasky forehead." The UNSC doesn't give a shit about anyone ! Even you what more do you want to talk about. We talking right now! Set a dam course for Sanghelios that where they fucking live.

Insanity, vengeance , hate and an nonstop angry was all Marcus knew for holding a grudge against the covenant.

" You are crossing the line of starting another war. That's not going to happen" argued back Lasky. " Roland don't give him to him ! "

" No , they crossed the line 6 years ago. I am talking right now. You want them dead as I do. I can do it. I can live with that !" yelled Marcus as memories came flooding back 6 years ago.

He pinned Lasky on the table again.

" I am going kill the entire Covenant myself Every Last one of them." said Marcus with a sneer in his face" Then I am going beat you to death. Then I going fuck the UNSC."

* * *

 **6 years earlier**

 **Anvil Gate**

Marcus glanced at the river of vegetation across the valley along with Anya , Sam Cole and Baird in the Raven.

" Sergeant Fenix." reported the KR pilot " We are approaching Anvil Gate in the next 10 minutes."

"Thanks for the heads up. "said Marcus. He listen to the conversations between his squad before clearing his throat.

" Delta here the game plan. Something is fishy on the other side of Anvil Gate." said Marcus " Hoffman said something is down there but its bigger than any of us."

" We don't know what is "Bigger" down there." said Anya.

" Well my moneys on those stranded shits. We know they want to get even with us." said Barid " Can't wait to put a bullet in them doesn't even matter."

" Slow Down. " said Sam " Save some for us. One last thing Anya want to say something to your face."

" Aw Anya always like to play nicety with me . Lets dam hear it ! Make my day." said Marcus with a soft smile on his face.

" Come baby say it " said Cole

" Come on ! "

" Alright ! You guys are getting on my nerves " said Anya

" Marcus I am pregnant." said Anya finally as a great wave of ooohhhs echoed around the raven replaced with cheers .

The reaction from Marcus's face went dead white as he gulped from Anya's confussion.

" Holy shit for real. God" gasped Marcus whipping tears of joy. " Dam you are killing me."

" How long do I know you and you keep this from me." asked Marcus " You could've told that yesterday."

" No worry Marcus I couldn't tell that but I didn't want the secret to get out." said Anya.

Anya been seeing the Doctor recently after the war then Anya learned she was carrying Marcus's child. In the beginning , Anya couldn't bear any children during her career as a lieutenant. Now no protocols or rules to follow just democracy on a free will. Anya had high hopes that she and Marcus could start a family after the war. Rebuilding humanity was only the beginning of the end.

" No need to worry about that secret is dam sure safe with me." said Marcus giving a supportive simile as he assure Anya everything was alright .

" When are we going to do this ? " asked Marcus lean close to Anya

" Soon." Anya answered " When the time is right

The Raven landed into the landing pad where Hoffman and Bernie were waiting for them. The rest of the squad greeted Hoffman.

" Fenix its been a while. " said Hoffman gravely " But we got big trouble. But it is bigger than any of us could image. I fill you in with everything."


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6 : First Contact**

 **Fleet Command**

 **Cairo Station Earth January 2556**

" Reports confirmed Infinity reset course straight to Sanghelios." reported Admiral Osman to the conference room of High ranking UNSC officials including Lord Hood. "Infinity was schedule to Requiem. We received further reports that a single insurrectionist had taken over the ship single hand."

The holographic projector shows infinity setting course for Sanghelios and another scene show the image of the man responsible for high jacking the flag ship of the UNSC.

" UNSC infinity is critical asset of Fleet Com and the spearhead of the UNSC Navy." said Lord Hood loudly with a furious tone " How could this happen? "

" That wasn't any leaks in ONI's files requiring Infinity " said Osman " That person who pull such a lone wolf operation is Marcus Michael Fenix."

Lord Hood's eyes narrow as he digests the information for Osman. " That man will risk starting another war. We will lose everything we had achieve for peace if we don't take action now we going to have a second war coming to our doorstep. He must be stopped at all cost.," said Lord Hood bang the table with his fsit

" ONI will need Fenix alive." said Admiral Osman seriously. " But Fenix is very disturbing due to his unstable mental state. ONI allow this to happen but we are correcting this mistake."

" Why is this man a person of interest ? Admiral you will not pressured him to surrender. Death or Alive I don't matter ." asked Lord Hood " The question is how can one mad man take over the spearhead of the UNSC's finest warship."

" We are dealing with a dangerous man Admiral and FleetCom will not tolerate such a requested action from ONI. I don't know why you are that interested in this man." continued Lord Hood. " Our main concern is Infinity . Admiral Osman gets me the Master Chief right now."

 **Back on Infinity**

" You know I was Gear. I used to be a dam sergeant. After you guys took me into the marines.," sighed Marcus sitting in a chair with his armored feet on the holotable. " Everyone in the marines , shit they didn't like the hell out me. I didn't like them either. Still I hated their guts for everything."

He turned to Lasky handcuffed to the railing breathing in and out from Marcus's beating. " Yeah but what I am ? Their slave. Being a slave just like making me a robot." chucked Marcus " They just made me call myself private Marcus. They say I am crazy."

Lasky shoot him a look of anger even confusion at Marcus who was sitting in the chair drinking vodka from his canteen. " They are dam right but I like killing them over and over again. Twist their guts around , make them bleed for everything."

" You don't have to do this. " defended Lasky " I lost people too-."

Marcus let out a roar of anger before smashing his rifle brutality against a terminal multiple times before kicking the station with his armored leg in rage.

" Shut up." snarled Marcus " I am not done with you yet. They finally kick me out and the UNSC , they left me behind. They just think I am garbage shit they call me a psychopath. Yes I am psycho ! "

" You expect me to believe that when you come in armed to the teeth." questioned Lasky " You held me hostage just to listen to you."

" No you still don't get it . I done unspeakable shit just to get there ." said Marcus " I want to settle the scores with the Covies. Start with the Arbiter himself after he kills someone special to me. "

" You don't have to do this. You need help." said Lasky boldly " Whoever you lost isn't got to bring them back. My people got nothing to do with all this." Marcus didn't buy it.

" I lost something who is every special to me." said Marcus as he turned away from the Captain

" I had experience with everyone dying . I watch them die right in front of me ; my brother and my dad they died infront me and happens every time." said Marcus before holding up a dogtag to Lasky.

" You told me you lost people I respect that. I understand grieving." said Marcus calmly as he placed the dogtags into Lasky's poach

" But they took everything from me. They even took Anya." said a vengeful Marcus looking away from Lasky as Marcus closed his eyes. " I watch her die right in front of me. That shit I will never forget."

* * *

 **6 years earlier**

Marcus grumbled to himself as he drove the packwagon across the dirt road. Anya was sitting next to him. Sam , Cole , Braid and Jace were in the back of the truck checking their weapons and ammo at the ready.

" You got any idea what we be up against ? " asked Jace " Hoffman did mention he saw purple waves on the other side."

" Save your yapping for the booze man and by the way it just a bunch of assholes trying to play games with us ." said Baird with a cockier smirk " We just do a quick minute shoot up with these stranded shits then I get you a drink."

" Or drinks are on me baby." chucked Cole." So what the score Marcus ? "

" Alright people listen up." said Marcus in the driver compartment of the packwagon. "There is been strange shit on the other side. Hoffman had no idea what is going and whatever it is already killing people from the fort one by one."

" Hoffman lost 8 people today but Alex , Pad and Dizzy are lucky." said Anya

" Must be the covenant-" replied Jace before receiving a light slap in the back of the head by Baird who said shut up

" Chill out jerk off. Must some nickname for bunch of ass wipes. " scoffed Baird " They just make up a shitass name just to scare the shit out of us."

" Yeah man , how scary the covies be ? " chucked Cole.

" We don't what we are up against Cole." said Anya " We just here to get a closer look and Hoffman need to know what we are up against. We need solid Intel"

" We better stay sharp people because it bigger than any of us. Hell, I want know who is about to reckon with us before we get ourselves in a middle of a shit storm." grumbled Marcus.

Suddenly the group heard sounds of jets humming in mid air. " What the hell ? Is that one of ours " yelled Jace as he turned to face a purple dropship pass overhead.

" Holy shit ! " gasped Cole " That a big purple ass. We don't wear purple."

" What the fuck ? " asked Marcus as he peek from the windshield.

" This shit can't be real." said Sam pointed up " That can't be ours or locust"

" Locust don't do purple shit that what I know." said Barid

" We don't know what we will be facing so let kept a distance." said Marcus as he pull the packwagon into trees before hopping out of the vehicle. " Looks like they head at this direction." as Marcus point towards the dropship heading towards the ruins of a makeshift town before touching down on the road.

Marcus and the squad moved swiftly through the forest with weapons out at the ready. They reach the a battled down fence with a gap torn open. Marcus and the squad moved into the gap one by one.

Marcus and the squad advance forward with weapons at the ready as they moved through the narrow alleyway.

Marcus raised a first signaling the squad to stop before they heard footsteps and the sounds of a trash can tipping. A 5-meter gray being with orange armor was the first spotted and it turned to see the gears standing there with weapons ready to fire.

The grunt yelled with fear and pull out the pistol from the harness. Marcus and the other snapped into action ; Marcus was the first to fire the lancer then Anya and Cole. Lancer rounds smashed into the creature's armor and the barrage of rounds smashed the creature against the wall leaving a blue bloody mess.

" Fuck ! " exclaimed Jace lowering the rifle.

" Shit that was too close. Didn't see that coming " said Marcus boldly as he kick the corpse to ensure it was dead and looked at the blue blood. Anya knee down to pick up the exotic pistol and examined it . " At least they aren't bulletproof so far so much for the shooting part." said Anya

" Yeah ." said Marcus " But that a nasty looking basterd."

" Holy shit, that must be a talking wretch. " said Jace " Must be a different breed after all."

" Let me remind you that wretches don't wear gas masks ." added Baird pointing to the dead grunt's gas mask. " Or carry handguns. But they can bite pretty hard."

" That can't be just bloody one of them. Where the bloody hell is his friends." asked Sam.

Marcus turned from the dead grunt to see a dead stranded man stumbled against the wall with a burn marks on it's dirty coat.

" They don't look like bullets to me." said Marcus as he examined the body. " Something tells me we are not alone out there."

The group then moved on as they followed Marcus as he lead them toward the end of the corridor. Marcus then kicks the gate door blocking the path as they moved into the empty street.

A team of Unggoy minors lead by a Unggoy major wandered into the ruins. Marcus peaked from the corner to see the Grunts stopping by a ruined building . The Grunt major barked to two grunts to rush in and grabbed an ammo crate and the rest stood guard on the street chatting to each other.

Marcus turned to his squad behind cover and counted 6 hostiles in the area. " I think those are his friends alright but there are more of these things out there. Fire at the ready"

" Go ! Fire ! " shouted Marcus as he spin out of cover firing the lancer at the same time. Jace and Barid fired their hammerbrust and lancers.

" Boom ! Bitches ! " shouted Cole with joy on his face going happy trigger with the lancer.

The Grunts were moved down like flies and screaming as they were the first ones to be hit. the reminding Grunts tried to raise their side arms fruitless. Seconds later , the atmosphere was stinking with blood and sweat with entire. The last Grunt went down screaming in retreat with Sam finished it off with a subpistol,

" All clear people." said Marcus rose from the cover of the barrier. " Let move." yelled Marcus as the rest of the squad emerged.

Marcus took a glance at the dead grunts. Their skin was purplish scalps and each wore light orange body armor and plasma grenades.

" Not bad for a bunch of gas assbags." chucked Baird holding up the plasma pistol " Too bad they aren't bulletproof. Got that from a dead grunt"

" Grunts I like it." chucked Sam as she picked up a plasma rifle " They got to be better than ours. What a bunch of cry babies at least we didn't get shot after all"

" Uh guys." said Cole " Is that a big purple ass gun but the Cole Train want to play artillery ! " Cole pointed to the direction of the massive artillery cannon behind the four story buildings.

" That can't be good." said Marcus " Looks like shit did hit the fan and we better take it out before they do some real carnage."

* * *

" Work faster you slopes ! " yelled Sangheili Ultra at a group of Unggoy dragging plasma ammo casters into the control centre of the Tyrant cannon.

" Why would they want us here in his fifthly ghost town." snarled a kig yar sniper to a sanghili rifleman" We should be fighting in the frontlines."

" Better off setting up artillery positions before moving out. I rather waste my dying breath on waiting for combat." said the sangehili

Hurgook were doing final maintenance on the cannon before the unggoy load the canisters into the loading bay. Several Sangehili were setting up a barricade across a street , a squad of Kig Yars were looting buildings for savage and weapons. 5 jiralhanes soldiers growling at each other over strips of meat. A small covenant infantry division had positioned an artillery piece near town hall and they all tasked to set up an outpost near the Covenant front lines.

Gunfire echoed through the distance of the small town. The covenant paused in their work and look up from the distance.

Without hesitation, the sangehili warriors ready their plasma carbines , rifles , repeaters and energy swords before barking order.

Kig yar snipers crawled up on the rooftops to looking for positions to snipe. The jirahlane pack powered up their spikers and troika LMGs and raced towards the battle scene snarling and growling. A Sangehili major yelled at an unggoy to call reinforcements.

Two hunters stayed behind to defend the artillery as rest of the Unggoy scrambled to complete the task.

Marcus raised a fist in the air stopping his squad as they took cover behind the walls. Suddenly a scream of pain echoed over the walls. The screams went silent at last.

" What the hell was that ? " whispered Jace as the squad cluster together closer to another

Marcus peeked out close from the wall and his eyes widen in shock. He saw a stranded civilian implanted by a blue large sword being held by a grey armored monster with glowing body armor. The monster snorted with satisfaction as the body of the stranded dropped to the ground.

The alien waiting for a moment before kicking the corpse twice before disappearing within Marcus's eyes

He turned to the rest of his confused squad. " It fucking invisible." stammered Marcus to the squad.

" What it's fucking invisible ? " demanded Baird

" But one of them is in there and it's invisible I saw it ." said Marcus

" How the hell is it invisible ? "snapped Sam

" Grubs don't do magic tricks and they don't go- SHIT ! " shouted Cole as a pink needles smashed into the ground. The Gears took cover behind the barricades as they were pepper by pink needles.

A Kig yar sniper screeched with joy as it fired it's needle rifle at the gears from the roof tops

" Pink bullets ? What the fuck ? " yelled Baird " Nobody told me that they don't shoot pink bullets ! "

His respond came true as a green beam of light pierced through the concrete barrier.

" FUCK ! They are shooting lasers for shitsack Baird ! They aren't grubs." shouted Marcus blind shooting his lancer over the barrier. " They are birds ! " as he catches the glimpse of a jackal with the sniper rifle.

" We are pinned down ! " shouted Anya.

" Why spoiled the fun ? " shouted Cole " These a-shit chicken heads aren't going blow their ass out."

" Where the hell do they have lasers ! " shouted Jace,

" Yeah nobody told me they shoot fucking lasers ; Green or blue overkill man." said Baird

" We got find cover from the snipers ! Get inside the building ! Crawl if you have to ! " shouted Marcus

" Covering fire ! " shouted Jace rising the hammerbrust rifle and a burst catch the Kig yar sniper in the head. Jackals rain down sniper rifle on the gears with Carbines , needle and beam rifles from the roof tops.

" That one down ! 5 more to go." shouted Jace. " Man they are got serious firepower."

Marcus snarled with frustration as a beam of light smashed into his way , nearly got his head blown off. He crotched down before priming a smoke grenade and threw over the brick wall . Grey smokes spilt from the ground as thick clouds of black covered the air. Kig yar sniper growled with frustration shooting blindly but cached off guard when the five gears opened fired from the smoke. The snipers were shoot down completely.

" Contract down. Tangos down." shouted Marcus lowered the rifle as the squad approached one of the dead Jackals with it's head shot clean.

" Son of a bitch they almost blew our heads off." said Marcus.

" Not to mention they are well armed and equipped with technology we never seen- . Oh god we are not alone . My gut told me. " said Anya " What the hell are those things and how did they get here."

Anya picked up a carbine and motioned the other to do the same.

" Dam they got the chicken pox." muttered Cole kicking the corpse " I thought turkey could shoot . Hell no why will bareass birds shoot laser at the Cole Train. Chickenheads."

" You are forgetting one thing Cole , we are not alone and they must been in a large group. Oh my god-" Anya gasped as the facts came to mind . They are facing an alien alliance. " They are not locust. They are aliens. God they are the covenant ." turned to the Squad that are stunned .

" What the hell is that suppose to mean ? " demanded Baird but he catches something moved beneath the buildings.

Suddenly without warning , the air dissipate revealing a charging Sangheii with a blood cry igniting an energy sword . Marcus snapped into attention and opening fire at the Elite , but to their surprise , blue shield around the elite defected lancer rounds but didn't stop the elite.

" WHAT THE FUCK ! " Screamed Sam firing her lancer at the same time.

" Focus fire ! "

Gears also charged at the same time pouring fire into the Elite hoping their concreted fire will bring the shields down. The Charging Elite draw a plasma rifle at the same time firing a blue bolt of energy. Gears were forced to scattered or roll for cover.

"Marcus ! Watchout ! AAAAHHH" shouted Jace as he jumped into the path of the energy bolt and hitting him at the time. Jace's leap of sacrifice knocked Marcus down before the Elite swing it's sword. The Elite swing the energy sword and defected against Anya's lancer thankfully Anya was quickly in raise the assault weapon defensively. The sword defected against the Lancer before Anya stumbled backwards.

The Elite growled with rage and determination and it's shields were pecked by three Gears behind him. It roared with rage again as Baird attempted to charge the Elite with the chainsaw buzzing.

The Elite delivered an agile kick into Baird's stomach, sending him flying and knocking into Sam and Cole . Marcus saw the whole thing as he quickly pushed a groaning Jace away before grabbing his lancer

The Sangheili warrior turned to see a stunned Anya with her lancer aiming right. The Elite dropped the plasma rifle and held the sword defensively. Before the Sangehili could strike , The Sanghili warrior swing his sword behind him and catch the revving lancer and a screaming Marcus just in time.

Marcus and the Sangheili warrior locked eyes for a moment as their weapons met in the middle of the street. Sparks igniting as the buzzing chainsaw bayonet met with the energy sword together. The Elite was strong and a match to an overkill Marcus.

Marcus struggled with his full strength as he pushes his weapon against the alien warrior's blade. The alien warrior growled salvage before a gunshot ran out. The Elite collapsed with a clean shot in the head.

Marcus sighed with relief and caught his breath before turning to see Anya with the plasma rifle in her hand. Baird coughed and holding his stomach sitting against the building for support. Cole tended to his friend. " Holy fuck , that was some kick man."

" Holy shit." said Anya lowering the plasma rifle.

" Yeah holy shit , that basterd made me throw my lunch up." groaned Baird " I think I might crack a rib or two. FUCK"

" That was my kill but thank." said Marcus staring at the dead Elite with his own blood.

" Jace ! " said Marcus as he rushed to his fallen comrade. Sam was helping Jace stand on his feet.

" You hit ? " demanded Marcus as he placed his hand over black spot on Jace's armor. Jace yelped with shock and quickly removed his armor and Jace sighted with relief but upset his body armor was damaged from the blaster bolt saving his life.

" God damit, I just had my shit washed." said Jace looking at his armor. " That hurts man. What are we shooting ? Blasters."

" Yeah , I reckon." said Marcus holding the device which active the blue energy blade. " This is dam sweet. "

" Holy shit." came from Cole who is staring at the corner of a hillside. " I think we have bigger problems that our Mr happy A-sword."

" What ? " demanded Marcus as he came over beside Cole and frozen in shock from a moment he will never forget. He saw the horizon of a landscape filled with purple and blue

Purple warships small to large lowering themselves down while dissenting from the skies , hundreds of Covenant soldiers large to small marching in formation and followed by massive purple machines of war. A behemoth of artillery with four legs marched towards its target.

Dropships ,gunships and fighters of purple purge the skies.

The Covenant was here on Sera and Sera is about to fall.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7: The fall begins**

" My god." said Anya as she stared with horror at the landscape of a massive build up by the Covenant. Hundreds of warships of purple hovering themselves down the ground and looking for space to land. The ships already begun to unload hordes of tanks and troops from gravity wells set up as landing pads . An army unlike anything the COG had never seen; an army advanced with superior firepower, numbers, size and technology just on Sera's doorstep.

" Holy shit that a whole freaking army out there." said Jace with worry in his tone " How the hell do those assholes know we here ? "

Purple drop ships were still circling around the warship defensively.

" Hell yeah , those are big ass UFOs man but they got purple." said Cole

" There is no way we can take them on in the open. God, that bigger than the grubs " said Baird " We got to tell Hoffman about this."

" No we tell everyone." corrected Anya " Hoffman right , it bigger than the locust or the lambent. What the hell are those things."

" No way we can survive this head on, I mean there a million of them out there and we better off tell everyone that shit is about to hit the fan seriously and hard." said Marcus as the squad took a step back from the ledge.

" Holy shit. That a big army of fuglies out in the open" said Cole " There are shit ton of them right now man. We are looking at Overkill."

" You guys don't tell me they got lasers too." said Barid " We are screwed. Totally screwed man."

" Overkill my ass if we don't destroy that gun and then we got to get the hell out here." said Marcus directed his attention to the tyrant cannon.

" We better get going then before those new assholes show up. Double time head for that artillery." ordered Marcus as he charged towards a street. So Delta squad rushed off toward the artillery emplacement with now time to spare.

" Jace ? Why the hell did you do that for ? You nearly got killed." questioned Marcus to Jace.

" Hey man , it was different. What would you do ? Take a bullet for me ? " argued back Jace

" You better hope we got plenty of explosives." yelled Barid.

" I better hope they got something nice inside that cannon." said Marcus as he turned into the alley way before the Squad found themselves in a large open and dead park. What is left of the park was turned into an artillery emplacement. Barriers and plasma drum canisters scattered around the park.

Marcus steady his lancer as he moved silently forward. Sam took cover beside a barrier loading a sniper bolt round into the longshot rifle. Jace , Baird and Cole slide to cover along with Marcus and Anya. Several grunts were moving canisters were too busy to notice there were enemies in the area. Two jellyfish like creatures were performing on the cannon.

Without hesitation , the gears rained lancer fire on the grunts . Grunts were hit left and right dropping down to the ground. The remaining grunts fired their plasma pistols and needler pistols back at the Gears.

Anya flinch with a small amount of fright as the needle round detonated against the barrier. Marcus threw a primed frag grenade into a group of grunts near a plasma canister. The Grunts vaporized from the flames of a fusion explosion of purple and orange.

One Heavy grunt switch to a fuel rod and active it. " I am going to open up a big can of whoop-ass ! " shouted the Heavy Grunt. But the Grunt Heavy's head exploded in bits of gore and blood from Sam's longshot rifle.

" All clear ! " shouted Sam as she rushed out to joined the rest of her squad. Dead grunts laid across the ground while the two engineers were hiding inside the Tyrant cannon.

" At least they put up a weak fight." said Anya tipped the dead grunt to it's side as the gears looked satisfied at the carnage before they were about to deal with the engineers. A building on their left busted with debris and dust revealing two Hunters almost the size of 3 boomers. The Hunters were in blue armor with orange worms exposed and dangerous looking glowing green cannon.

" What the hell are those things ? Shouted Jace as his question answered as the Hunter powered up their cannons.

" FUCK ! "

" Holy Shit ! " shouted Marcus as he grabbed Anya and ducked to the ground as a green large bolt of green fired from the hunter detonated into the ground. The gears scattered across the area as the hunters launched themselves into combat.

" Oh my god ! " screamed Anya in horror. The gears hesitated and opened fire on the two large creatures. Lancers rounds bounced off the Hunter's body armor. The other Hunter slammed it's shield down to defend its bond brother. The rounds deflected off the shield as the other Hunter powered up the assault cannon.

" Those things are like boomers. They are heavily armored." called out Sam.

Cole smirked to Baird " Looks like we got ourselves some big ass bitches looking for a touchdown."

" Spread out ! " shouted Anya " Their armor is bulletproof. Try explosives !" as she switched to the plasma carbine firing several shots at the hunters. The plasmas lances only did little damage to the Mgalekgolo shield. Rest of Detla squad spilt up into pairs as they tried to shoot the weak spots on the hunter's armor.

Mgalekgolo pair growled at their foes before their unleashed their assault cannons in the mist of their enemies. Jace and Sam jumped and duck into another barrier from a green explosion. Marcus threw a frag in mid air. The frag detonated in a chunk of shrapnel and fire right infront of the hunter. But the hunter groaned and flinched before coming back to the fight. " Dam it ! " shouted Marcus " Not fucking working !"

" Shit , they have explosive rounds. " yelled Jace.

" Nobody told me about those things with big-ass blasters." retorted Sam as she grabbed Jace to the nearest barricade.

" We got to keep them distracted until we find another angle on these things ! I aren't getting my ass blown off " shouted Baird " Try shooting them right in the head."

" Oh great fucking idea Baird !" called out Marcus as he wasted his lancer magazine on the nearest hunter. Anya was taking potshots from the plasma carbine. Hunters continue to pepper the area with assault cannon rounds forcing the Gears to relay on hit and run tactics.

Anya directed Jace and Sam to hunker down behind cover as she rushed to help the other gears.

Jace hesitantly apply another magazine into the hammerburst rifle and duck as another explosive round flew past hime.

" Man those things are insane , Sam see that orange under the head. Blow that head off." whispered Jace to Sam who place a round into the longshot sniper rifle. Sam clamly place the rifle on the tip of the covenant barricade and peek into the scope.

The Hunter powered up its assault cannon ; the barrel of the gun glowed green bright at Marcus firing more rounds into the hunters. Before the hunter unleashed its payroll of green energy , the neck exploded into a mist of orange blood , skin and brain bits.

The headless hunter dropped on its knees before collapsing into the ground. The Hunter roared with rage from the death of its bond brother then the hunter snapped into a state of berserk. Hunter charged forward trying to hammer its opponents to death.

The hunter slammed open a barriers and other crates and chase Baird and Cole . The hunter roared and raised it powered up cannon at the two gears.

" You bitch! ; like it when we kill your bitch-ass brother." shouted Cole firing his lancer as he charged forward towards the hunter with the chainsaw bayonet.

Out of nowhere , Marcus charged forward with a frag grenade in his hand. The hunter was catch off guard as Marcus leaped and grabbed the organic blue spikes behind it's unarmored wormy back. Marcus slammed the frag grenade into the flesh for the shaking Hunter trying to get Marcus off his back. The Hunter twist its torso roughly and send Marcus to the ground. Marcus flinched as he turned his back to the ground.

The entire hunter exploded into mess of orange gore and worms. Blood and worms sprinkled across the area.

Marcus coughed and wiped the orange blood off his face and armor. " Holly shit. That nastily." said Marcus as Anya rushed to his aid. " I am fine Anya thanks."

" Man that is one ugly dumbass." said Cole kicking the corpse of the headless hunter and Baird tried to examined the assault cannon oozing glowing green liquid .

" I never seen that high tech shit in my life." chucked Baird on one knee as he was about to lift the cannon from the dead hunter.

" Don't you dare put that finger on that shit , I be dam if you getting rustlung." warned Marcus " I want to deal with that big-ass artillery piece."

" Yes mom. That green shit aren't getting me rustlung." mocked Baird as he back away from the assault cannon. With the rest of the squad regrouped, they were relieved that none of the squad was dead yet from that Hunter assault. Cole quickly picked up the fuel rod cannon from the ground.

" Hey Marcus , we got incoming." called out Sam pointing to the clouds that reveal a long wide covenant battlecuriser heading towards the rest of the landing armada in the valley.

" I got a better idea people." said Baird as he glanced at the tyrant cannon. " Blow out the engines and then splat on their other friends."

" Yeah." said Marcus as they turned to the two engineers trying to flee.

The CCS battle cruiser already exit the atmosphere coming into the cloud line until three shots of superheat plasma struck the cruiser badly ; one shot was absorbed by the energy shield , the second shot drain the shield and the third shot punched into the generators as it exploded.

The shots come from the highjacked tyrant cannon. The gears roared with glee as they stared at the ship now coated with explosions.

Explosions peppered across the sideboards while escape pods or dropships evacuated from the burning ship.

" Yeah ! " cheered Cole " That what I call a flaming blaze of glory ! "

The CCS battle cruiser drifted out of control as it held towards the landing armada then chaos erupted. The burning cruiser collided with another ship by the starboard , then smashed into the hull of another carrier . Debris and metal flying everywhere as the carrier hull ripped itself apart from the inside before the cruiser detonated into a firing ball of purple and blue like a nuclear fireball.

Chunks of debris flew everywhere in mid air and hitting dozens of covenant ships resulting in major damage. The shockwave of flames spread across the valley taking troop carriers on the ground, ground forces and other covenant ships too. The massive explosion wiped out the landing field.

" Holy shit." giggled Cole as Baird slapped high-fives. " This is what I call fireworks."

" Yeah, thanks to those jellyfish heads. At least they know how to do tech shit all I care." chucked Baird to the two engineers fleeing from the Gears.

Anya and Sam let out a loud whoop.

" That a hell of a story I am going tell." said Jace

Marcus grunted with satisfaction. Their celebration was cut short as a Brutes and Elites came charging around the corner. A platoon of Elites , Grunts and Brutes charged forward in attempt to overwhelmed their enemies. Enraged by the destruction of the carriers , they attack without hesitation.

Marcus fired a stream of 60mm at the charging covenant soldiers from his hammerbrust. Jace ducked as stream of plasma lance hit the barrier before rushing for cover as Sam threw a incendiary grenade. The grenade smashed into the ground as quickly release a spread of burning imulsion chemicals. Grunts were caught in the small tide wave of flames , grunts screamed and ran before burned to death or their environment gas packs detonated and only halted the offensive covenant soldiers who smartly returned to cover.

Volley of plasma bolts , spikers and needle rounds managed to suppressed the gears from returning fire. " Everyone get inside ! " shouted Marcus as he blindly returned triggering a burst from the lancer. Jace and Sam quickly went inside the tryant cannon's clamber with Anya and Cole covering fire. " Where the hell they got shields ! " shouted Jace.

" Nobody told me they got energy shields !" yelled Barid " Nobody told me about they have blasters !"

" There too many of them !" shouted Cole " We can't fight these many bitches man !"

But they all duck as a stream of incendiary microburst of orange. The roaring Elite Brute firing the troika machine gun like a happy triggerman quickly put down by Sam's quick precision from the longing longshot.

The Elite brute collapsed with a cleanshot from the head. Elites and Brutes growled with rage from the aftershock from the death of one of their comrades before charging towards the cannon.

" We can't hold them forever ! " shouted Sam firing her lancer.

Marcus hurried to the inner core structure before active the chainsaw bayonet . He smashed it against the shield barrier ; the shield fade red as the buzzing saw came contract with the holo-shield. The shield covering the cover revealed at tall cylinder containing a red glowing orb. Marcus fired the lancer into the orb ; bullet cases hitting the ground as bullet after bullet dissolved into the energy glowing orb. The orb give in to the overwhelming firepower of the lancer.

Marcus quickly smashed his last frag on the wall

Alarms in the artillery chamber began to howl for danger.

" Its going blow people move it ! " shouted Marcus point towards the exit. The squad quickly rushed out the tyrant control centre just in time the covenant soldier poured into the control centre. Marcus and the rest of Delta squad throw themselves into the ground while the tyrant cannon exploded in a puff of flaming mixture of purple and blue energy taking the covenant soldiers with it.

The gears laid on the ground covered their heads as the impact from the explosion swept over them in an instant and wiping all the covenant soldiers.

The explosion finally died down, purple embers flick on the artillery site and the smoke reveals a burning tyrant cannon with half of the cannon torn apart.

Marcus's tac/com active " This is KR-99 , we stopped Detla , ready for pick up. Can you see us."

" Roger that KR-99 , just pick the dam us up." ordered Marcus from the tac/com as he saw the chopper within a distance

" Raven inbound ! " shouted Baird throwing a smoke canister. It hit the ground with a ping before bounced again then erupted bright blue smoke bellowing. The smoke swept high to the skies.

" Fan out ! " shouted Sam to the rest of her squad as the King Raven made its appearance as it made their landing on the ground. The Raven landed as the hatch revealing Clayton Carmine operating the galting turret. " Guys get in ! " called Carmine.

The entire squad boarded the Raven as the Raven lifted from the ground before taking off into the air leaving the destroyed artillery emplacement.

"Thanks Carmine. You just save our asses." said Marcus to the Carmine." How the hell did you find us."

" Long story sarge but we got bigger problems that ever. On the bright side sarge , you did a great job with the fireworks." said Carmine to the major landing bay now a burning wreakage of carnage. There was Debris , dead bodies of covenant soldiers then secondary explosions came from the wrecked landing ships of the covenant along with both the carrier and the cruiser.

" Nice." chucked Marcus viewing delta's handily work of destruction. " Where are we headed ? Carmine."

" You want see this sarge." said Carmine seriously pointed to the other side of the copter " We just saw this while we are the air. It real bad."

When Marcus leaned forward with his head turned and then his heart stopped within a second as he saw the most disturbing thing ever seen.

The region that used to be covered with flood of trees, fields of destruction from the orbital strikes a dozen makeshift standard villages or ruins of towns scattered around and continuous network of rivers now exist nothing but smoky surface of mixture of grey, red and black and streams of boiling lava. Smoke poured in the skies uncontrollably made it difficult for the Raven to recon and look for survivors.

" God." chocked Anya covering her mouthing with a mixture of horror and sadness with a sole tear poured from her face.

" There is no way , these people could survive down there." said Sam " No bloody way."

" No fucking way." muttered Baird.

" What the fuck is this shit." asked Cole angrily

Marcus turned white looking at the horizon with dead silence. Sam , Cole and Baird's reaction was stunning , horrific and shock by such destruction beyond haunted imagination similar to the Hammer Strikes during the Locust war.

" How the hell are we going stop them ? " asked Jace " They got laser and all that firepower shit."

" I have no idea ." said Marcus boldly. " We are so fucked."

A pair of covenant cruiser was firing a lance of plasma down into ruins of a barely standing city with a entire community of the stranded screaming as they were all vaporized alive by the glassing bombardment.

The entire squad was silent inside the copter and they couldn't believe it ; everything they work so hard to rebuild Sera was shattered because of the Covenant. They could not let that stand and Delta knew that this is only the beginning of another nightmare.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8: The offensive**

 **Present Day**

 **UNSC pelican**

A pelican dropship was flying through the space. John was piloting the pelican and was tracking Infinity's location. The Master Chief and rest of Blue Team just learned that Infinity was highjacked by a psychopathic ODST and the Master Chief immediately insist of going after Infinity. Blue Team's objective is to retake the ship and kill or capture the psychopath under orders from Fleetcom.

" 30 minutes until we reach infinity and we almost at their radar range. " called out the Chief as he debrief the rest of the team armed and ready. The hologram of Infinity display for the rest of the team to analyzed.

Fred was armed with M739 light machine gun and a MA5D assault rifle.

Linda was armed with her SRS99C-S5 AM sniper rifle

Kelly was armed with her M45D tactical shotgun.

" 4 hours ago , Infinity was compromised by unknown individual . He singly handily infiltrate the bridge and took the captain hostage. He locked down half the ship and we need to move fast." said the Chief as he armed his MA5D assault rifle.

" Furthermore , Fleetcom warned us that Infinity will likely enter slipspace toward Sangheillios within minutes and ONI told us the same individual is responsible for the murder of a high ranking officer and 5 marines." said the Master Chief.

" Along with a quartermaster on Infinity and a ODST now ; in addition from Roland." finished Fred as the Master Chief nodded.

" Our priority is to retake Infinity and elimate the renegade ODST ; dead or alive. Command does not mind if we do both. We clear on the mission."

" Yes sir."

 **Infinity**

Alarms blared through the bridge, Marcus shoot up from his seat, his hands on the holotable. A single dot on the radar screen was heading towards the ship

He pull the pin on the assault rifle and he aimed it at Lasky sitting on a chair with his hands tied behind his back. Marcus hesitated and had Lasky in a headlock. His elbow pressed against Lasky's neck as Roland appeared on the Holotable.

Marcus dragged Lasky from his seat before smashing Lasky down on the table and had the handgun pressed against Lasky's head .

" What the fuck was that ? " shouted Marcus as Roland appeared on the table. " Whoa ! Whoa ! Calm down." protested Roand

" Roland talk to me." ordered Lasky struggling from Marcus's grip" Are we tracked ? Covenant ? UNSC ?"

" Okay just one –" Roland's sentence was cut off " Well shot it down !" shouted Marcus insanity

Roland shook his head " That not going to happen !" yelled Roland but Lasky had the chance to shout to Roland.

" DON"T GIVE HIM ANYTHING-" screamed Lasky with defiance.

" SHUT THE FUCK UP !" shouted Marcus as he put his hand on Lasky's neck and the pistol aim right between the eyes of the Captain.

" I swear I will blow his fucking head off." screamed Marcus while Lasky chocked for breath.

" What are you waiting for ? Fire everything. All of them ! " shouted Marcus at Roland as his tone becoming more inpatient . The AI did nothing but ordered a pair of anti air seek missiles on the starboards to fire.

The pelican came within radar range and toward the ship and execute a turn allowing blue team to fly into space

"Thrusters on !" ordered the Chief as they flew across the space. They guide toward the ship with burst of jet speed.

 _Hold Captain Lasky ,I am coming for you._

* * *

 **Flashback**

Hell was another word to describe the situation down in city of Kashkur. Kashkur has a recent history of war between the COG and the UIR. Now the Covenant ground troops from the Covenant main army attacking the Kashkur at the process of rebuilding along with COG army remnants stationed at the city.

Covenant marching into the city followed by tanks and four legged walkers. Dropships bringing new troops dodging tracer fire and flak blazing in the skies. The COG had no idea what is going on and they do what they do best is going to war. Defending Kashkur was another price to play.

The King Raven landed in cracked pavement of the Kashkur distract. Marcus and the rest of Delta squad could see the chaos everywhere and it was like E-day over again. Trucks were moving steadily as fast as they can to move the wounded or unload supplies. Gears are shouting orders, Gears running back or forth . Other COG soldiers dragged the injured to safety or ammo boxes or neither evacuating civilians to the waiting APCs. A dozen armored vehicles lined up in the streets moving towards the fighting. A squad of gears with rocket launchers crossed an arch bridge into the city. A King Raven was sweeping the streets for hostiles.

They stepped out of the raven and greeted by the group of Gears maiming the makeshift command centre inside the library

" It's Marcus Fenix and Delta ! " shouted an Officer at the command post inside the library . " Thank god you made , those things from the skies are on the offensive. They got tanks ! " cried the officer.

" Captain , how can we help ? " assured Anya clamly

" Defensive teams are barely holding. Command need more people to hold the highway. Those little things are swarming the highway. The Covenant is on their way" explained the COG officer " Also we need to evac the wounded."

" Anya, Carmine and Jace stay at the command post and help. I go with the rest of everyone else to the bridge." said Marcus before joining the defense.

The gears raced through the sea of Gears or militia towards the fighting ignoring the chatter on the radio and the sounds of artillery fire. The fighting was getting closer and closer. Most of the civilians were leaving the city. debris and fire was everywhere.

A gear at the nearest building that serves as a bunker spotted the squad and the Gear signed Marcus and his squad to the stairs. " Covenant at the bridge! " shouted the Gear " Someone get on the machine gun."

" Up the stairs people ! " shouted Marcus as the spirit up the stairs , turned inside into a living room converted into a bunker with a patio reinforced with sandbags equipped with a chaingun. The squad took positions hunker down beside the sandbags.

Outside , a platoon of grunts and three Ghost with drivers were coming from the highway. Grunts went happy trigger on their plasma rifles, Plasma pistols and needlers . Spraying Plasma bolts of green and blue everywhere.

Marcus and the rest of the gears unleashed the firepower of their lancers at the swarms of Grunts on the road connect to the highway. Blue blood and scale bits flung in mid air ; Grunts were mowed down by the numbers as they dropped like flies.

There were other Gears at the barricades fighting the platoon of grunts charging from the highway.

Marcus duck as a wave of plasma bolts and needle rounds pelted the patio. " Focus fire on the grunts ! " shouted Marcus as he grabbed the heavy Vulture machine gun. The Vulture machine gun active and unleashed it's hail fire of 70mms into a grunt riding a Ghost. Rounds enter the hull before detonated inside the reactor of the Ghost , the blast enflamed the driver and wiping out a handful of grunts near the vehicle.

" Great big-ass lasers and big ass aliens just made my day." scoffed Baird adding another clip into his lancer.

" Big ass aliens that right , they are faster , smart and they the balls to screw with us." said Cole " Just like the grubs man." Cole fired a burst into a grunt charging with the plasma pistol.

" Yeah, this way different than the last." shout out Sam with a grin on her face. " At least they are easier to kill than the glowies."

" Everyone shut up and keep firing ! " barked Marcus firing the heavy machine gun. Then Cole, Sam and Baird quickly rose from cover and fired their hammerburst rifles and Lancers. The highway and the road was filled with dead grunts , Grunts struggling to fight back and blood gore over the highway,

" Here a warm up for the Cougars ! " shouted Cole as he deployed the fuel rod cannon and fired a blast of plasma and vaporized a squad of Grunts with green.

" Everyone dead ! Retreat ! "screamed a Grunt as it turned tails and ran. The remaining grunt" Don't let them get away !" shouted Sam firing the remaining of her lancer at the Grunts.

" Holy shit !" muttered Baird and turned to Cole who hooting with laughter at the Grunts running away for their lives.

" Can I try it ? " asked Barid .

" Ah all right baby you up for it." chucked Cole as he handed Baird his prized fuel rod. Baird hosted the plasma cannon and fired a large bolt of green at the nearest Ghost that was pinning a squad at down on the building with a stream of blue.

The Ghost vehicle was hit with the fuel rod bolt before it exploded into blue flaming chucks of debris.

" Holy shit ! " smirked Sam at the carnage on the road. " Holy shit you are right." chucked Baird " I love this thing. Shit I knew I am going crazy for lasers." before Baird hang back the Fuel rod cannon to Cole.

Marcus gave Cole and Baird a good job look and a friendly nod with approval.

The battle harden Veteran sergeant and his ragtag teammates breathed with relief as the last of the grunts were killed. Bodies of grunts laying in their own blue blood and wreckage of burning vehicles on the highway bridge. The sound of gunfire was replaced with the defenders cheering and shouting " We are Gears hoorrrahhh!"

" That's all they got." laughed Sam " I hope the Covenant would give up that easier."

" Okay, we clear for now, reload and get more ammo before anything-" his sentence was cut off as Marcus and the rest of the squad hear the sounds of vehicles rumbling in the distance. Marcus lean from the patio stonewall and he saw strange vehicles making their way through the bridge.

Then Marcus realized they brought heavy artillery : The tanks ( Wraiths). Wraiths were followed by Hunters, Drones , Elites , Grunts , Brutes and Jackals by the numbers. A Golden armored Elite draw it's energy sword and bellowed it's war cry with the raised blade.

Wraiths active their cannons and leveled their cannons ; plasma charged to the maximum. Then Marcus realized the tanks don't shot shells. Hell broke lose

"FUCKING TANKS INCOMING ! "Shouted Marcus in respond to the gears as the tanks open fire with their main weapon.

Streaks of superheated energy rain hell down on the Gears front line. Gears vaporized alive and screaming as plasma shells detonated as they smashed into the sandbags. Gears screamed as they were burned by plasma fire.

" Holy shit! " shouted Sam "FUCK ! Nobody told me they have tanks." Ducking down behind the patio of sandbags , A plasma shell smashed to the building raining dust and bits of concrete. The covenant army open fired with a volley of energy , plasma and light. The rest of Delta duck down and then began to trading potshots of bursts back.

Gears fought back with lancers , boomshots , stomper grenade launchers , longshots to whatever weapons the COG have. 60mms , grenades and rockets lunged at the Covenant . Strips of energy , plasma bolts , projectiles, lances and flaming plasma balls smashed into the front lines.

Vulcan cannon teams on the roof the scattered buildings were only slowing the covenant down but not enough to hold the covenant back.

Brutes on the other hand armed with mini guns or rocket launchers were putting the hurt on the COG. A Elite Zealot appeared in mid air with two energy swords and impaled two gears on the barricade as Brutes with Gravity hammers and combat knifes emerging in close combat. A Brute Chieftain swung a gravity hammer into a stomach of a COG soldier

Gear soldiers quickly dropped like flies if hit by instant plasma, bullet like projectiles or energy bolt. The front line was losing ground as handful of soldiers deserted their positions.

" There too many of them ! " shouted Cole ducking a bolt of plasma. " SHIT ! Nobody told me they got big-ass laser tanks."

Marcus fired a stream of bullets at a squad of Kig-yar with energy shields. Energy shields deflect the wave of bullets.

" Nobody told me they got shields !" shouted Marcus as he threw a frag down at the street. A explosion occur and the plasma bolts stopped firing.

" Give me the rocket launcher ! " shouted Marcus "and someone get on the machine gun."

Cole was squeezing the trigger tightly without ease from the Vulcan cannons. Sam duck and fired well precision shots from longshot rifle and Baird and Marcus duck and fired with their lances.

The Vulcan cannon took out a squad of grunts and a brute. An elite's shield collapsed and shot in the head by a longshot round.

Marcus roared as he fired the last of his lancer at an elite jumping in midair and ending the Elite's life with a barrage of bullets.

All was lost until the squad hear the sounds of helicopters coming to their aid. " Raven inbound. Hell yeah !" shouted Cole.

" Prefect timing !" Shouted Sam as the Gears cheered as the three King Ravens breeze through the skies and unleashed hell on the covenant ground forces. Autocannons underneath unleashed a wave of fire and steel into the wave of Covenant soldiers. Gunners on the Raven sideboards mowing down numerous covenant soldiers.

" This KR-90 , let give the Covies SOBs a nice warm welcome."

Covenant fired back with what weapons they got ; plasma bolts smashed into the Raven only scorching it's armor. Another Raven armed with rocket launchers unleashing what ordnances left into the tanks and troops. the wave of explosion catches the covenant troops in bits or flung in mid air

Two Wraiths exploded into a hail fire of purple and blue and the other tanks that survived the barrage suffered damage. The Covenant were slowly pushed back by the ravens. An Elite Brute behind a brick wall raised a Covenant converted COG rocket launcher with a load rocket at the Raven.

" Big ass gorilla with rocket launcher on your left ! Shoot him or we finished!" yelled Marcus to Sam

" I am on it ! " shouted Sam loading a round into the longshot and fired. The Brute eye exploded in blood and bits . The armored Brute screamed in pain at the loss of it eye and turned the rocket launcher and fired at the patio with delta on it.

" Holy shit ! " shouted Marcus as the rocket exploded underneath the patio. The concrete floor gave in to the explosion and collapsed into pieces taking Delta with it. Marcus and the squad fell into a ditch of debris . Marcus groaned trying to shake off the ringing in the ears and the rest of the squad laying in defeat groaning with pain.

Marcus pulled himself up and peek from the pile of debris. He saw a Covenant destroyer just came out of slipspace in the skies and the ship unleashed a volley of purple fireball along with a horde of fighters and dropships from it's main hanger.

Plasma torpedoes smashed into parts of city and detonated into a hailstorm of purple.

A squadron of Banshees dived from the skies raining plasma fire on the Ravens attacking the ground troops.

" This is KR-78 taking –AAAAAAHHH ! " the pilot screamed from the cockpit as the helicopter fell victim to the plasma lasers.

The two ravens busted into flames, drifted out of control, and crashed into the buildings and the last Raven exploded from a single Fuel rod shot from a banshee. Dropships were dropping troops and vehicles everywhere across the city.

Two gears manning a Vulcan cannon were vaporized by a banshee's fuel rod dive.

Marcus squeezed his eyes crawling toward his lancer ; blinking from the dust and the ringing along with the sound of combat. Suddenly out from the smoke came the one eye brute breathing with rage. The brute kicked Marcus on the stomach before grabbing Marcus by the neck.

Marcus struggling to move , banging on the brute's armored arm and chocking for breath . The Brute chucked sadistically before held up a combat knife infront of Marcus face. Marcus closed his eyes waiting for his fate to be seal. Didn't happen as a gunshot rang out with the brute dropped dead to the ground.

Marcus coughed and gasped for breath but turned to see Sam with the longshot smoking and Cole was shooting bursts from his hammerburst. Marcus pull himself back on his feet and thank Sam for saving his ass.

"Let get of here ! " shouted Marcus as the rest of the squad ducked from the wave of plasma as they spirited into an alley. The front line has been overwhelmed by the powerful blitzkrieg of tanks , ships and air support of the covenant army . Without looking back at the carnage. The Covenant were like the locust and they were here to finish what the locust horde started.

Phantom dropships deployed reinforcements both regular and elite covenant troops. Platoons of Unggoy, Kig-yar, Sangheili, Jiralhanae, Yamme and Mgalekgolo rampaged through the city.

A Squad of Gears screamed to their deaths as a Locust Walker fired it's focus cannon of superheat plasma and vaporized the gears leaving nothing but their smoking torsos.

Heavy Hunters cleared out resistance from the buildings with plasma throwers and min assault LMGs. Brute Elites and Brute vanguards wreak havoc on the survivors. Unggoy pairs were manning mortars to support the push. ARC elites jumping building to building deliver a streak of suppression fire on the fleeing gears. Sangheili and skimmer elite snipers took down unlucky COG stragglers too slowly to find cover.

Gears were torn apart by explosions , shot by plasma or fallen victim to Energy melee weapons left and right. COG Vehicles and tanks were burning uncontrollably with scorched and molten armor

Wraith tanks and Mechtiods moved quickly through the streets mopping up resistance. Locust walkers fired beam of light cutting through buildings and Banshees began their bombing runs on COG positions.

" Anya ! They got air support and tanks! We have been overrun by the Covies." shouted Marcus in his head tac. " We come to get you then we get the hell out of here !"

Meanwhile back at the command post. Anya and Jace and the other Gears were trying to evacuate as many people and gears as possible. Gears were loading supplies into the trucks or hopping into any working vehicle to escape the wraith of the covenant. Few of them took off.

" Get the wounded and the civilians into the trucks." shouted Anya as she gave out order to those who were alive.

" Anya ! Everyone is dead" called out Jace next to her " Marcus and the others are in trouble! The Covies are in the city and we are about to be overwhelmed !"

" I know Jace !" Shouted Anya as she yelled into the tac/com " This is lieutenant Stroud to call COG forces in the area full retreat ! Repeat full Retreat ! Full-"

Hearing the sounds of aircraft, Anya turned and saw a trio of Banshees and phantom gunships firing blue pulse lasers and plasma bolts down on scattered Gears running for cover. Jace and Anya ducked behind a truck while the Banshees continued their bombing run. Gears fired potshots at the flying vehicles. However, one Banshee did something else and break off from its main group and turned around. It fired a fuel rod shot.

Anya watched in horror as the Banshee fired on its main target : A makeshift field hospital of a ruined building. " NOOOOO! " screamed Anya rushing towards the field hospital. But the building contain the wounded and civilians exploded in a hailstorm of flames of green and orange. The explosion send gears flying in the air.

Anya dropped on her knees from the running and wailed with grief and rage from the destruction of hospital. shears of tears pouring on her face nonstoppable. " Come one Anya." said Jace as he calmly held on her feet. The ruined building burned with fire.

" Anya they are all gone." chocked Jace as grief and anger mixed into his tone and face as morale inside of him collapsed. The loss of the hospital was unbearable to Jace.

Suddenly plasma lances came out of nowhere struck Jace in the chest plate of his armor and another lance enter Jace's forehead. Jace fell on his back dead with scorched holes in his armor and a blood-oozing hole on Jace's forehead. His eyes were lifeless.

" NO!" cried Anya at the death of her friend and she rushing to Jace's aid. Dropping her knees on the ground as she check for Jace's pulse. Reaction hit her hard as she realized Jace was gone. " God no." chocked Anya with tears before respectfully removed the Dog tags from his neck. Hearing the sound of rumbling feet. Anya turned to see a Sangheili emerged from the smoke. A black heavily armored Sangheili commando in assault harness armed with a pulsar plasma assault rifle.

She didn't have time to draw her subpistol.

The Sangheili active an energy sword on its right hand and raised the Sword at the ready. Anya's eyes widen as she saw at the bright blue light of a sword pointed right at her.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9 : Killed or be killed**

Anya swallowed with fear as the Sangheili commando placed his sword near her neck. The intense heat glowed hot and the goose bumps on her skin quickly blister. Anya flinched as the alien commando prepared to execute a deathblow.

Suddenly the Sangheili's chest armor appeared a burning energy sword. The Sangheili looked down on his chest before choking it breath as it dropped of his knees. A breathing Marcus with his arm around the sangehili neck and an energy sword stabbed on the back. Marcus must jump on the commando and he saved her life. Sam, Cole and Baird catches up with Marcus and saw their one of their friend dead. The reaction was exploded from the squad ; Cole swear in his breath as he turned around unable to bear the carnage inflicted on Jace , Sam was face palmed of seeing their the fallen friend and Baird was looking down on his feet.

Jace covered in his own blood from the wave of Plasma lances and his lifeless eyes found peace. " God dam it." sighed Marcus.

Anya breathed with relief and chocked down tears as Marcus pulled her up to her feet. Marcus sighed with distress while he was looking at the body of his friend Jace on the ground dead. "Let get the hell out of here." said Marcus as he patted her on the check. Sam closed Jace's eyes as sign of respect.

" Jace is fucking dead. I…." chocked Anya through tears "I couldn't."

"He gone there is nothing we-"said Marcus seriously. Suddenly the gears ducked down as a plasma shell detonated it's payload of purple into a crumbled building.

"Shit." shouted Sam "The Covenant got heavy fucking artillery!"

"Everyone runs!" shouted Marcus "Before they blow us into pieces." Anya , Marcus ,Cole ,Baird and Sam took one last look at Jace's body before they started to run. With the command centre wiped out leaving the COG in chaos. Gears spirited through the ruined street looking for a route to escape.

Gunfire, explosions and screams echoed across the burning city. Banshees were making bombing runs on the street. Covenant ground troops were regrouping with the main Covenant army as they marched through the city finishing off any resistance.

Covenant artillery pieces fired round of plasma from a distance. Dropships were dropping more tanks and troops to the battle. Now the COG overwhelmed by the covenant blitzkrieg. A raven soared forward as a pair of banshee interceptors chased it then rained plasma on the King Raven. The King raven went down in a heap of flames.

Marcus and Delta squad rushed through the street to join the surviving gears fighting against the covenant. Marcus snarled with rage as he fired his lancer into a squad of grunts.

"This is for Jace !"roared Cole as a well place boomshot grenade exploded and vaporized Kig yar and a sangehili but send a few unggoy flying .

" This is for Jace and everyone you killed!"Screamed Anya fired her lancer and dropping a Elite.

Gears were firing their lancers at a group of Covenant soldiers , a dropship showed up and dropping a group of brutes in power armor. Gears took positions behind mounds of debris and shattered Earth.

" The pack will feast on your savage hides!" screamed a Brute Ranger with the plasma rifle.

"Yeah shut up." roared Marcus spray lead on the enraged brutes. Brutes fought back with spikers , brute plasma rifles , Brute rocket launchers and troika LMGs.

" How the hell they got Troikas! "shouted Baird as he ducked down from a troika round. "They must be snooping for spare parts after the war." replied Sam "God dam sons of bitches."

Then one of the brutes with the power armor deployed a mulcher mingun with a tripod and unleashed a storm of brute plasma bolts in a spilt second.

Brutes fired their spikers and troika LMGs spraying spikes, red strips of energy and incendiary rounds. Sam cursed and duck before firing the Longshot rifle into the Brute gunner with its head exposed. The gunner collapsed dead. Marcus threw a frag in mid air and the frag detonated into the tight group of brutes. The explosion sends a brute flying and the rest wounded with shrapnel.

With their power, armor taken off by the explosion only was leaving the brutes valuable to gunfire. It only took a full case of Lancer rounds to take a single brute down. "That our chance ! Shoot them!" shouted Marcus as the Gears popped out from their cover and unleashed a stream on Lead on the disoriented Brutes . The Last brute went berserk and charged forward the gears. The brute leaped in mid air towards Marcus.

Marcus screamed with rage with the lancer spitting casings with bullets entering the brute's thick hide. The brute landed face down on the ground dead.

" Tanks with big ass lasers incoming !" shouted Baird as he took a quickly glanced at a wraith unleashed a fireball of blue .

" Run ! " screamed Marcus as the gears booted from their cover and ran for their lives. Two wraith tanks fired plasma balls and vaporized barriers of debris with ease.

" There is no way we can fight all of them ! FUCK." shouted Marcus " We got to get the hell out of here."

The covenant troops everywhere storming the streets with energy weaponry blazing and phantoms were unloading more reinforcements to the battle.

Marcus and the other looked behind their back to see dead bodies of gears and civilians on the ground , buildings burning and destruction everywhere. Everything Delta squad fought so hard to save Sera only to been torn apart right in front of them because of the covenant.

Marcus and the other jumped into a ditch of debris to cover from the plasma artillery barrage behind them. Marcus peeked his eyes out to see a battle cruiser belonging to the covenant just fired its pulse laser into distinct on the horizon.

Marcus eyes filled with fury as the destruction continued and Anya turned away looking down at the ground . Baird and Cole even Sam looked limbed of the overwhelming dreads of war.

Every locust and lambent he and his friends kill , every people or friend he watch died , every step he and delta took to free Sera from decades of war for humanity. Now humanity goal of rebuilding Sera shattered and ruined because of the covenant.

Marcus felt his anger rising beyond levels since the death of his father. Squeezing his lancer tight as the sounds of war echoed through the entire city ; sounds of artillery and gunfire mixed with screams and explosions brought back unspeakable memorials of the locust war.

Then something catches his attention , he saw Clayton in the field of shattered earth and fragments of a building along with a burning King raven. Clayton Carmine was standing strong wielding a chaingun from the down Raven.

Before Marcus could shouted to Carmine , a tear drop of plasma fell from the skies and slammed into the ground releasing a wave of blue fire. Plasma fire spread across cutting Marcus and his squad away from Carmine.

A platoon of brutes , drones , grunts , jackals and Elites supported by a hunter pair came running around the corners up into the street. Carmine decked down behind the wall of debris avoid getting his head blown off from the enemy's strange weaponry.

Carmine returned fired with a payload of 9mms into the swarm of covenant troops. Rapid sonic rounds torned into the ranks of Unggoy and overload the shields of the kig yar. Both Unggoys and Kig yars died a horrible and painful death of the gating gun. A phantom dropship dropping another wave of troops off and the unggoy gunners on board provide covering fire from Plasma repeater cannons.

The brutes and elites fired back with everything they got as they took cover. Spikes of orange and streaks of plasma flying from all direction. Carmine switched to his subpistol and took down two drones behind him. Dropping the chaingun, Carmine fired what is left of his pistol onto the nearest Yamme armed with a plasma pistol.

The bug like alien dropped to the ground and landed into the floor of debris but Carmine slammed his foot into the skull of the maggot bug for good measure . The steel boot obliterated the Yamme's head reducing it into a mess of gore and blood.

" Covies!" snared Carmine as he switched to his lancer firing burst of bullets at the covenant. Duck down behind the wall from the screaming traits of green, blue and red.

" FUCK YOU."screamed Carmine blazing a Jiralhanae captain with lancer rounds but Jiralhanaes and Sangehilis duck into cover.

A plasma bolt side glazed his helmet leaving the side of his helmet a burn mark and a spike from a spiker carbine hit his shoulder.

Carmine roared with pain as the spike glazed deep into his unprotected shoulder and fired a stream from his lancer ignoring the bleeding. He felt his side was bleeding, looking down was a spike inside his torso.

" Fuck." swear Carmine

Carmine shift into cover as the plasma bolts hammered the walls of the ruin building. Carmine glazed at his wound that had a burning cut with blood gushing out. The Elites and Brutes were getting closer to his position.

The gear turned his lancer, pulling the trigger and screaming with defiance as lancer bullets splitting out. The thick wall behind carmine burst in pieces from a tremulous force . Out came a War Chieftain Jiralhanae with a batting Gravity hammer and full power red armor.

The invisible burst of force and gravity send Carmine flying like a ragdoll out in the opening, battered Carmine landed in the ground with a sickly crack. Jiralhanes and Sangheili warriors growled at their almost defeated foe on the ground and aimed their plasma weapons at the down Gear.

The War Chieftain roared at the warriors and covenant soldiers to back up. Carmine growled through the pain as he slowly rose on one foot, his left arm covering his spike wound and his other arm holding the lancer.

Carmine breathily heavily and look up at the Chieftain with hatred and pain. His broken visor revealed Carmine's eyes. His helmet busted and dented with cracks everywhere. Carmine snarled resisting the pain in his body and attempted a melee swing with the buzzing chainsaw bayonet as the War Chieftain got close. Nevertheless, the War Chieftain kicked him in the chest with an armored leg lash out with a blur.

Hitting Carmine's chest so hard and as fast just as the powered armored leg of the brute kicks him.

Carmine screamed with breathless cry of pain as his armor chest cracked and ribs broke and shattered painfully before hitting the ground on his back hard. Carmine stared at the skies with the swarming banshees with suffering of the agonizing pain and coughing for breath.

The gear coughed with pain as a crimson pool of red slowly poured into the ground. Three Jiralhanae warriors and two Sangheili rangers pointed their plasma rifles and carbines in front of his face. A Sangheili ranger ripped the helmet off of Carmine revealing his full head. Sweat , blood and dirt mixed in his face. Carmine spat a mouth full of blood just to pissed the covenant off.

The Chieftain walked towards him with the gravity hammer pointed at him. " Savage. You shall die." said the Chieftain artily " Last words you savage." The gravity hammer raised in 90 degrees.

" Fuck you for what you have done." chocked Carmine with defiance in very last breath. The Chieftain swiftly smashed the hammer into the COG alloy chest armor. Carmine went limped and his fingers stopped twitching . The Chieftain sighted with satisfaction before bending down to remove the COG tags from his neck as a trophy , ignoring the carnage already inflicted on the dead gear.

The Chieftain sniffs the air for humans nearby his position, ordering the rest of the pack to move on and the Chieftain turned to the ditch the humans were already gone.

Marcus and the others raced across the street towards an alleyway on the corner of another street. Carmine and Jace were both dead and many more died because of the covenant assault. " In here ! " shouted Marcus as he fired a burst of bullets on his left taking down an Sangehili rifleman and his squad finished off a Unggoy squad.

A squad of Yamme popped out from the shattered windows off a burning building, peppering the squad with pistol pistols and needlers. Cole and Baird roared with fury with the return fire of their assault lancers. Anya flinched as the blaster bolt smashed into the debris of a wall and she fired a stream of rounds hitting a Kig yar marksman on the roof. An Sangheili trooper was pinned down by Cole and Baird blew it's face off with his hammerburst rifle.

Marcus was at a corner chainsawing a kig yar into bits and then kick a grunt in the face who tried to charge him with a plasma rifle.

Sam fired her longshot into a Skimmer sniper and blow it's head off. Sam grunt with triumphed as she watch as the headless Skimmer fell from the three story building.

" Covering ! " shouted Cole " Fire ! Throwing a frag." as Cole pull the pin from the frag grenade and he threw it at a group of Grunts. Cole and Sam duck behind the barricade as the explosion echoed from a distance.

" Boom baby. Yeah 10 points for every new record ugly." shouted Cole.

" Another 10 points for this fugly." shouted Baird blast a yamme in the face.

Another Super battlecrusier belong to the Covenant navy emerged from the skies joining the battle before unleashing it's payload of fighters and support craft.

" Uh oh , here come boogies at two clock." shouted Cole " They got big ass laser shooting birdies." caught the attention of two banshees flying towards the group

Two banshee interceptors unleashed a stream of blue plasma tracers, tracers slammed into the ground and streaking toward the Gears. Marcus and Sam raised their lancer and fired back with everything they got.

Lancer rounds hammering lighting into the banshee's armor and the two banshees quickly break off from their attack. The rest of the squad hurried nearest building. Marcus and Cole lifted up a garage door as the rest of the squad raced inside. The garage door locked as the rest of the surviving members of delta squad regrouping in the garage.

" Shit , I can't believe we fought for so much." said Anya " So much fighting they aren't not suppose to know we here. Jace , Carmine and all of this."

" We are in their slaughterhouse. The covies Anya." shouted Baird "Now the covenant is out to kill us and oh great they just about to send us all to the stone age."

" Baird shut up ! " shouted Marcus " We are getting out of here."

" Yeah Marcus is right." added Cole " Carmine and Jace are dead. The only standing is us."

" That can't be good you guys." called out Sam as she peaked through the broken cracked windshield of the door. Marcus peeked too.

A hunter in grey armor holding a heavy thick plate shield armed with a heavy flamer cannon with green crystallized tubes on the outside. The heavy hunter raised it's flame cannon and spitted a napalm stream of green plasma into nearest ruin. Sam watch as green flames exploded from the wreckage as screaming of burned survivors running outside and dropping dead on the ground. The squad paused and listens to the screams of the dying as the Covenant soldiers roared with victory. They had to get out here fast. Then Marcus turned to the rest of the squad. "Grab any ammo or supplies you need. We need to find a way out of this hellhole."

Suddenly the ground shook then rumbling from something large stomping and smashing a path of destruction through the city. The Covenant Kill team begun to withdraw.

" What the hell is that ?" asked Anya " That can't not make things any worse."

Baird was peeking from the crack window with his mouth opened and color drained from his face. "Yeah, you are so right." said Baird "We are screwed." Marcus pushes Baird lightly before looking from the outside. Marcus suddenly lost focus as he saw something that shock him to the core.

He saw a massive purple machine resemble a beetle with glowing green pincer. Another leg of the mechanical behemoth crushed a building then reveal to be a mobile heavy platform and known as the scarab. It powered up its cannon before unleashed a wave of hell.

* * *

 **Present Day**

 **UNSC Infinity**

 **3 hours earlier before the assault on the bridge**

 _ **Storage room**_

Marcus peeked from the rows of crates of equipment and weapons belong to the ground forces of the UNSC. Coast was clear , Marcus beginning stripping off a dead ODST on the ground with the neck snapped . Changing from his construction jumpsuit he wore to sneak into the ship, Marcus strapped the parts of the armor into his legs first before putting the rest on. Before he was finish armoring up ; he flip the safety off an assault rifle and made a note to himself to held down to the armory to steal explosives.

Marcus took out a photo from his armor compartment pack. The photo reveals a yellow blonde woman smiling along with Marcus in the middle. Marcus chocked a sob and a tear pour down on his eyes before breaking down in tears. His sobs echoed through the storage room. A tear landed on the photo.

" Anya it me Marcus , whatever happens to me. " he said through tears " I swear I come for you. I love you."

Then the former sergeant put away to the photo of Anya away in his armor. " Everyone gone just me."

Another tear poured down , "I swear to god. Nothing will stand in my way. I am going to finish what I should've done a long time." Marcus took another breath and continued his personal speech."I wouldn't stop ; I wouldn't rest until I will kill every single covics . Very last one of them. I blow up Sanghelios for you. I see you someday and I die for it."

" For Cole , Sam and Baird . His eyes flamed with hatred as Marcus put on his blue bandana and tied it around. " Sanghelios can go to hell." Marcus snarled to himself before putting on the ODST helmet.

 **Now**

Marcus watch as the two heat seeking missiles slammed into the pelican in the screen until the screen went to static. Marcus snarled with satisfaction before firing the assault rifle into console and other screens.

" The UNSC can't save your ass this time." sneered Marcus " I am in charge. I am in charge." placing the gun on Lasky's forehead. "Give me to Sangehilios and jump into Slipspace where you call it."

" I wouldn't give you the codes to the slipdrive jump." growled Lasky " I rather die then endangering the lives of everyone on the ship. You can kill me now."

" Sorry Captain." said Marcus seriously " I am not the person that doesn't take a shit for no." his eyes narrowed.

" Hey I haven't done anything to you." snapped back Lasky " But taking innocent people hostages and you think you can kill the entire Covenant single handily. That is insanity."

" Innocent people ? No shit." growled Marcus. "They are not innocent , they are animals. Everyone are animals. You know what else war never change. It too late for me."

" Uh Captain." said a nervous Roland from the holotable "The quartermaster at the armory is found dead with his head smashed open."

Lasky gulped before looking at a blood stained metal boots of the ODST before looking up at a distress Marcus turning away. "I had to get the explosives." Marcus said.

" How many people you killed ? "asked Lasky.

" A lot so I could get on the ship." said Marcus turning around with the gun aimed right at the face.

Then Marcus lowered the gun and pulled something from the compartment poach and it was a photo. Marcus show the photo of him and Anya together as a couple. " You see this. They took her away from me." shouted Marcus " You have any idea how she mean to me. I kill everyone to get here."

"What you are doing wouldn't bring her back." said Lasky seriously "Whatever hell you been through I see it. You are dishonoring her memory-." Marcus raised the handgun from his other poach before pressing the gun on Lasky's forehead. "How many times I have to tell you ? Sera was lost to the Covenant , Anya is gone and kill all of them would not bring her back. Marcus, for god's sake."

This struck a nerve in Marcus. Right in the gut.

"That doesn't give you the right to kill people in cold blood." shouted Lasky with a rose defiance in his tone. The fury inside in him took control of him and Marcus hesitated. He fired a shot into Lasky's shoulder with one shot. Lasky roared with pain as the bullet enter him with burning ease. His shoulder was bleeding.

" Jesus Christ ! What the hell did you do ? " cried Roland in shock from the holotable and he saw the whole thing.

" SHUT THE FUCK UP. What did I say ? Every Covie everywhere deserve to fucking die." snarled Marcus " We going to make a big announce to the rest of the crew then we go to Sangehilios. I can't stop killing ! Because they made me do it."

" You better start taking me to Sanghelio. " growled Marcus lowering the gun and took an aim at Lasky " You going to the count of five then I shot him."

" Don't give it to him. Deleted-" his sentence was quickly interrupted by a kick into Lasky's stomach and Lasky coughed up blood on the metal floor slumped down to the ground. Marcus grinned sadistically at Lasky's defeated body who was coughing with pain.

" One." Growled Marcus.

"You god dam psychopath." shouted Roland.

" Two." with the assault rifle raised on Lasky forehead. " Three."

"Alright! Alright!" shouted Roland "I active Slipspace for you don't kill the captain please I take you to Sangehilio."

" You promise. Do it!" shouted Marcus . As Roland did nothing to comply with the mad man's demands prevent him from killing Lasky.

" Active Slipspace jump. All hand prepare for slipspace jump" said Roland as he active the codes for the slipspace jump throughout the Infinity battle network then wave on his command. He dump the coordinates into the NAV control and stored the logic path. The Shaw-Fujikawa translight generators active and powered up.

" Slipspace jump active in 10 seconds and coordinates for Sanghelios is confirmed. " said Roland nervously before pausing for the moment. " Jumping now."

The Shaw-Fujikawa translight generators torn a hole in normal space and then blue light boiled around Infinity and vanished in thin air. Unknown to Marcus , four Spartans consisted of blue team were making their way through the hallway with weapons at the ready.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10 : A War is lost**

 **UNSC Infinity**

 **Training facility : Deck 29**

 **Present day**

Palmer cursed with frustration as she pounce the pressure doors fruitlessly. " What the hell going on Lasky ?" thought Palmer.

"Banging on the door isn't going to help commander." scoffed DeMarco behind her. In the training arena were a dozen Spartans in blue jumpsuits along with a few marines in combat form. Some of the people in the room were talking to each other, others were placing around the gym wondering what was going on and the rest were sitting down on the benches. Hoya and Anyton were tapping on communication terminal looking for a channel. Throne and Grant were in a corner patiently standing.

It has been an hour since the ship mysteriously locked down , the crew assure it was another lockdown drill but channels to the bridge was cut off mysteriously. No one knows how.

" It is just me or something tell me there is a wave of bad feeling about this." groaned Palmer with a inpatient tone. " You cannot tell me you have trouble getting to the captain ? "

" No Commander nothing on the bridge." reported DeMarco turning away from the terminal " Nothing but absolute silence."

" That obvious , could be another training run or a drill." added Grant brushing hair off her face.

" We don't know that Grant." scoffed Palmer before turning to the flat screen hoping Lasky would make something up on the camera.

Suddenly the screen on the wall came to life with the live footage of Captain Lasky cuffed behind his back sitting on the chair. Next to the captain was the assailant in an ODST armor and uniform along with a blue bandana with the COG insignia.

" Hello Infinity." sneered the man on the screen putting a gun infront the Captain as Marcus grabbed the back of the neck of Lasky and revealing his brutality work.

" Oh my god." gasped Palmer with shock and horror as the reaction came insight of Lasky as a hostage. The entire room exploded with confusion and shouts as the rest of the crew gathered around at the screen.

" Lasky! No! No! NO!" cried Palmer at the screen " Lasky !"

Lasky beaten so badly; his face was covered with bruises, blood and cuts. Streams of blood and sweat made a mess in the uniform. Lasky's left eye was largely swollen purple and red. His nose was bleeding and his mouth was bloody. His shoulder was bleeding from a gunshot wound.

" I am here to deliver all of you onboard. A message." growled the ODST then place a knife around Lasky's neck. The video broadcasted across the ship. Every personal, soldier and Spartan watched on the screen to see their bruised Captain at the mercy of the rogue ODST.

" Holy shit." gasped Throne rose from his seat.

" What the hell ?" asked Madsen with shock.

Palmer placed her hand on her mouth as a tear formed on her eyes. The rest of fire team majestic even looked horrified at the sight of their beaten Captain and they revealed they were helpless to take action. The man on the screen began to speak.

" Listen up motherfuckers." growled the rogue ODST " I locked the entire ship down and I have your captain. We are on our way to Sangehilios and we going kill every one of them. You and me." point the handgun at the screen.

The man gave a dark chuckle " That right, we going blow the shit out of Sangehilios ; we aren't stopping until we turn this place into a park lot and everyone on it dead. Every last one of them" The man leaned closer to the screen "If you try to stop me. I am going blow the bridge up and the entire ship. He showed his makeshift bomb vest to the camera and held the detonator in the other hand.

" I am in charge." laughed the man with a sick sneer on his face. " I am in charge on this ship. I am the captain now."

" Let me tell you something. This dumbass here thinks he is special. What to be fucking enthusiastic and do a lot of sympathy shit." mocked the man pointing a finger at Lasky before pull the chair for space. " I just tell him that the most stupidest shit I heard."

" God dam Marcus." growled Lasky " Leave my crew and people out of this. You cannot change the way I see things. This is between you and me.

" Right." scoffed Marcus " Well then , because I am better than you." Marcus swing a brutal punch into Lasky's face. Blood spilt as Marcus's fist collided into Lasky's bloody nose . Palmer turned away from the glorified sight with her hand covering her mouth and DeMarco stood there with his mouth open.

Turning the screen " They fucking burn down my home, my family and everyone. I burn theirs," shouted Marcus.

" I can fight for them. I can kill every single covie. They are not human beings. They are fucking animals," shouted Marcus slamming a kick into Lasky's stomach and the Captain groaned from the impact exploded in his gut. " You are not a soldier." reattributed Lasky " You are not one of us. You are a dam psychopath." Marcus paused and stared at the breathing Captain catching his breath from the hellish torture the rogue soldier was giving him.

" That guy a fucking animal." snarled Hoya " He killing Lasky."

" Stop it ! " screamed Palmer as Grant and DeMarco held her back.

" You are so right Lasky." Then Marcus slammed his foot against Lasky's stomach and Lasky fell down the ground coughing with blood. " Yeah." cheered Marcus with triumph turning to the screen camera. " I am in charge now". With a sicken grin, Palmer had never seen.

" You going help me kill every single covic on Sangehilios or I will kill the captain myself." growled Marcus. " Sergeant Fenix out. FUCK YOU Infinity." before he fired on the screen killing the broadcast. The entire crowd looked at Palmer.

" What the hell are we going to do ?" asked Throne.

Palmer took a deep breath from her rage. " We going get the hell to the armory , armored up and we going kill that sick son of a bitch." said Palmer with vengeance in her eyes.

Meanwhile , the Master Chief and blue team saw everything on the wall screen of Lasky heavily tortured as the completely insane ODST beating the crap of the captain. His fist squeezed tight around the assault rifle.

" I am not going let this stand." growled the Chief as his anger slowly rose from inside. " We going stop this now. We don't have much time."

* * *

 **Bridge**

" God dam ! " shouted Roland from the holotable. " I did everything you ask. Stop, you are killing him."

" Fuck Yeah." sneered Marcus before he injected a syringe of drugs in his neck while he had his foot on Lasky's neck before Lasky past out. The word escape from Marcus's mouth send a chill down to the AI and it was the voice of a mass murder psychopath.

" Marcus ? " called out a voice. Marcus froze in shock as slowly turned to face the person who was dead a long time ago. Dominic Santiago.

" Dom ? "

" Marcus."

Dom was in his COG armor with his beard standing there behind a group of screens. His face looks sad but concerned.

" Marcus what the hell are you doing ? " asked Dom raising his arms slowly. " Stop Marcus , this isn't you."

" You are fucking dead ! Dom " roared Marcus raising the assault rifle with a myriad of emotions of seeing his deceased friend who die saving his ass and the rest of the delta in Mercy. He swore it was his hallucination despite the grief and anger inside of him for years.

" Marcus." said Dom " It dam wrong , I didn't have a choice and I am sorry for what I did. I only did it to save your ass."

" Save my ass just to win the war for you ? We are in this together! "screamed Marcus pointing a finger " You left me , you didn't care about me and you weren't there ! You are my brother."

" Yes we are Marcus , you won the war for all of us. Cole , Baird and Anya – "

" Don't you say her name ! " screamed Marcus emotionally raising the assault rifle. Dom jumped back in shock and took a step back,

" What the hell wrong with you Marcus ? " Shouted Dom. "Why are you doing this ? Is this what I want? I did to save you."

" What wrong with me ? " roared Marcus waving the assault rifle in his hand. " You die right in front me ! All for what to be with Maria ? I got nothing Dom. I hope you are having a happy moment because everyone is gone and I am still here. I am doing this for Anya , Cole , Baird and everyone . I am going to kill every single Covie today and I am not stopping until they are all dead."

Words hit Dom hard. Dom was beyond shock as Marcus raised the gun towards him like a mad man. " Is this what you want ? Rip my heart out ? Dom they are gone. Anya is gone too. Rip it out Dom."

" Stop this Marcus !" shouted Dom loudly like a general ordering his troops around. " Marcus please." Dom plead but Marcus keep the assault rifle in place

" Rip it out ! I don't need it , I got nothing ! Nothing ! This fucking war is all for Nothing. Nothing !" screamed Marcus through tears " I can't live like this. Now the locust and the covenant "

" Oh you really did for me Dom." Marcus blamed and his volume echoed across the bridge "You really **did** it for me, Buddy! You **really** did it! Oh, yes you **did!** I'm **nothing** now, Rick! **NOTHING!** I've got **nothing** , Dom! No **friends!** No fucking **family!** No **respect!** No **life!** Sera! This God-forsaken world of **shit!** There's **nothing** for me here **Dom! Nothing!** I **thought** I could make it... I **thought** I could hold out. Until they came and destroy fucking everything." throwing his arms down.

Angry tears continue to pour down on Marcus's face from the explosion of insanity, grief and angry.

" I am sorry Marcus. Stop this Marcus. Don't do this Marcus " plead Dom hoping Marcus regain his humanity to stop the madness but Marcus cut him off. " I can't live like this." finished Marcus ready the assault rifle. " This is the only way. This wasn't supposed to be like this when you come back. You weren't meant to live."

" We suffered together! We are brothers for god sake." pleads Dom." What about the brother I love and I –"

"Thought it would end like this huh Dom. You are dead. " shouted Marcus without hesitation Marcus fired his entire assault rifle. 7.62mms slammed into a set of screen on his left. Marcus roared with fury as the bullets shattered a set of screens into bits of parts, glass and metal. Bullet casing dropped into the floor.

Marcus lowered the assault rifle and rumbled his eyes only to see a console exploding with small bits of sparks and a screen collapsed on its own. Embarrassed by from his hallucination, Marcus turned to see an unconscious Lasky on the ground and then the silence of in the bridge.

Torn by his grief and his lust for revenge , Marcus choked down with tear and sobbed silently as he dropped on his knees with shame.

 **Flashback**

 **Kashkur city**

" Holy shit! " shouted Marcus as the squad rushed out of the building's exit as a gigantic beam of green vaporized a trail of destruction across the street. The scarab fired its main cannon and the plasma beam vaporized an entire street with seconds. " How the hell did they get one of those things ? " shouted Cole " Bigger than my mommy's ass

" Shit there is no way we can take that thing on." shouted Marcus as he fired a burst of lancer fire on the infantry aboard the scarab. An Unggoy gunner manning the plasma cannon fired a trail of blue tracers at the fleeing survivors.

" We going to need a big fucking gun." shouted Sam as she spin around then level the sniper rifle and blew the gunner's head off.

Marcus roared with fury with the lancer firing a stream of orange at the scarab. The scarab spitlt a fierce

Delta squad rushed through the ruins of the city with other survivors trying to flee the Covenant attack. Banshees dive bomb from the skies firing their pulse plasma cannons into the fleeing COG soldiers.

" Run !" shouted Marcus as his squad spirited across the ruined city park as the scarab slowly stomping its way towards the district. It mechanical purple legs smashed buildings into rumble and kinetic shockwaves from the crushing feet shock the ground even knocking down debris or survivors to the ground.

On the platform were Kig-yar snipers and Unggoy gunners manning the plasma cannons and a General Sangheili was ordering a group of Unggoy manning the mortars to fire. Two Unggoy in the open platform were armed a mortar. The unggoy barked a command and the unggoy pull the pin on the Covenant reversed mortar. The artillery mortar fired an artillery plasma canister high in the air before scattering a droplet of blue then quickly rain down on the ground exploding a mist of bright blue.

" They got mortars ! Don't let them touch you." shouted Marcus ignoring the massive explosions and the screams of banshees in the air. Marcus spirited toward a truck overturned with crates scattered around. The squad side beside the truck one by one.

Anya turned to her squad ; all of them covered with sweat , dirt and smote but looking weary and sharp. Marcus peek to see the scarab halting it's advance ; the scarab was cooling down it's weaponry and the infantry on top trying to reload their weaponry. Marcus put out the hammer of dawn targeting laser and aim it at the scarab.

The orange fluorescent rays of light came smashing down on the scarab with unexpected ease. The behemoth roared with pain as the armor gave in overwhelming thrust of orange from the skies. The scarab gave a final roar as the Scarab emblazed into a fierce fireball of orange , blue and purple. The emblazed shockwave n catches covenant infantry in its clouds of flames. Covenant troop quickly running away from the destruction of the scarab as it collapsed in a blaze of pieces.

The burning mechanical corpse now laying on the ground with chunks of debris and rumble. Marcus breathes with relief along with the rest of the squad. " Nice one baby." cheered Cole. "Another way, to burn that kind of big purple bitch down."

" Yeah, now we get the hell out of here. They will be back to kill us" Marcus said boldly watching the burning scarab and the wall of flames across the district halting the covenant advance.

" Incoming you guys, another load of purple dicks 11 o clock." shouted Sam " They are piss about breaking their toy. Good riddance."

A pair of phantom dropships fired down a rain of plasma at Delta's position. Marcus and the others duck as hot streams pounding their position.

" Spread out ! " shouted Marcus barked a chain of orders . " Anya with me , Cole suppressing fire. Sam and Baird take the left and draw their fire away from us and the other survivors. " Better pick up some covie weapons , they sure better than ours."

Anya switched for her lancer for a plasma carbine, Marcus switch for a plasma repeater carbine he just picked up and Cole ready the fuel rod cannon. "Get ready then run. We make a run for it."

" Now !" shouted Marcus as he squeezed trigger on the plasma repeater and the two repeat the same. Plasma bolts sizzled into the hull of the phantom. Cole unleashed another bolt from the fuel rod only to disabled the plasma cannon. The two phantoms dropped squads of Sangheili and grunts into the battlefield. Elites were armed with heavy artillery , energy swords and plasma repeaters . Unggoy were armed with fuel rod cannons , plasma pistols and plasma Grenada launchers. Kig yar armed with shields, needlers, and carbines.

The covenant troops engaged Delta in a full force with guns blazing. An Elite was sniped in the head , another Kig Yar was gunned down. Several covenant soldiers cut down by Delta's small arms fire. Marcus and the three raced towards Baird and Sam's position inside a ruined lobby.

" Covering ! " shouted Baird firing his guns at the Covenant shock troops. Rose from cover , Sam dropped down a Sangheili officer with the concussion rifle. " Baird on your-" Sam didn't finished when a purple pulse came from above and entered into Sam's eye.

The pulse burned right through Sam's eye and exit from the back of her skull. It happened so fast as Sam fall on her back from sniper fire. Her longshot rifle landed on the ground. Baird saw it happen in front of him barely enough time to scream for Sam. Sam collapsed as she fell on the floor dead.

" NOOOO! Sam ! "screamed Baird with shock. Baird screamed with grief and agony of his fallen friend turning the lancer at the source of Sam's killer. The Field Marshal inside the phantom with the needle rifle. Baird spit bullets from what is left of his assault lancer along with Marcus and the others focusing their reminding firepower on the retreated phantom. Baird screamed on top of his lungs banging the floor with his fist until they bled before wrapped his arms around Sam's lifeless body.

" FUCK." shouted Cole.

" Sam." cried Anya kneeing down on her fallen friend with her hand on Sam's lifeless body. The rest of Delta squad gathered around their fallen friend. Baird hugged Sam's body around his arms and sinking his face down on her shoulders sobbing loudly. Ignored the outside of plasma fire and explosions did not help with their grief.

" Fucking God dam it ! " cursed Marcus firing a burst of bullets in a direction.

Marcus lowered his head , Anya shed a tear and Cole hammered his fist into the wall in grief. " They killed Sam." shouted Baird in tears then screaming with agony. Baird tried to attempted to vault over the broken wall but Marcus tackle him to the ground holding him Baird as he screamed curses at the covie.

" Baird shut up. Sam dead and we need you." screamed Marcus before throwing a hard punch on Baird's face. Cole pulls Marcus off Baird as he remind so catatonic at Sam's corpse laying on the ground.

Baird wiped tears off his face before closing Sam's eyes then removed her dogtag. " Let move Delta," said Marcus with a hint of mourning. "Sam." said Marcus to the body.

The squad peeked from the ruined structure to see a dozen more phantoms and spirit dropships deploying Wraiths , ghost and a Spectre along with infantry reinforcements.

" You dam Covie bitchs! You Mother fucker." shouted an enraged Cole fired streams of lancer rounds at charging covenant soldiers. "" You like it . This is for Sam motherfuckers !"

A Elite on the spectre gun fired a stream of plasma bullets at the barely standing building and gunners on Wriaths fired a stream of concreted plas-rounds into the side of the building. Delta ducked down from the barrage of plasma bolts.

" Go! we can't stay here." yelled Anya " Baird we have to go now."

Baird stared at Anya with tears pouring down on her face " Hell No , I am not leave Sam behind." He flinch as a fuel rod round already impacted the side of the wall with a bang delivering a shockwave and cloud of dust in the air .

Cole and Marcus primed smoke grenade and threw them out of the broken window. The smoke grenade spilt out a cloud of grey smoke camouflaging the group's escape. The frustrated Covenant quickly focuses their firepower on the ruined building.

Meanwhile on the Covenant front lines. Thel watched on his screen from his command scarab. He witnessed the savage humans used some kind of laser bombardment that took down and devastated the Scarab. Thanks to the fallen scarab , ground troops were halted for a moment. Thel was furious for the moment, but on the bright side , the human defensive were overwhelmed and his army was close to victory.

Further his attempt to crush the human resistance at any extreme measure , he send a command to his fleet deploy ships into the battle and give the order to glass the city. Then he ordered a squadron to destroy the hammer of dawn satellites.

Marcus turned and fired a burst into a kig yar and an unggoy on his left as he lead the squad out of the battered streets. He saw a packwagon intact with a civilian shot in the head. " In here ! We got ourselves wheels."

Cole was the first to enter into the back of the truck and pulled Baird carrying Sam's corpse.

" We going to Anvil Gate. Oh shit." shouted Marcus as a squadron of Banshees appeared on his left firing a trail of pulse in mid air. Marcus and the other ducked from the incoming plasma fire. Then Marcus quickly entered into the driver seat and he starts the engine. " Cole ! Cover us with the machine gun ! I reload." called out Anya.

" We getting out of here." shouted Marcus as he smashed his foot on the accelerator

The packwagon rumbled forward , wheel spin and spiting mud and dirt as it plowed through the war torn streets.

" Oh shit , big bitch ass come on our 6." shouted Cole " Put the pain on them baby. Say hello to my little friend. FOR SAM ! BITCHES !" squeezing the trigger on the vulture cannon . Horde of rounds hammered into the nearest banshee who went down into flaming wreckage. Cole was blazing down banshees one by one until three spectre with gunners firing plasma rounds on the fleeing squad. Followed by ghost and choppers and a dozen drones who fired their weapons.

Cole and Anya ducked as the plasma sweep overhead. " Baird ! " called out Anya to turned to Baird who remained catatonic as he held Sam's corpse on his arms. He was complete beyond devastated and his sarcastic personality replaced with despair, frenzied cold, guilt, and the mixture of deep sadness.

" Do something Damon ! " shouted Cole " WE getting our ass chew man ! " but Baird just ignored them and stared at Sam's corpse remaining dead silence.

" Baird ! Please ! FUCK. " shouted Anya as she flinched from a plasma bolt zoom past her missing her face. Dropping the ammo pack , Anya switch to her subpistol , clipping a drone by the wing and another drone in the head. Cole was blazing down the ghost and chopper vehicles who fell prey to the intense firepower machine gun.

" The covies are dam good." groaned Cole " If you get your ass back into the fight Baird."

" Marcus. Drive faster ! "Shouted Anya. Cole was firing

" I am trying ! OH FUCK" shouted Marcus as a phantom flew overhead firing it's main cannons raining plasma fire on the road. Marcus twist the wheel as the packwagon turned into another road , Marcus narrowed his eyes to see a blockage of vehicles consider of Wraiths , specters , ghost , choppers and stationary guns guarding a bridge.

Hunters pairs took position and ready their weapons and shield, Brutes , Elites , Jackals and Grunts did the same. A phantom hovering over the blockage level's it cannons. A heavy unggoy leveled his plasma launcher , a Sangheili operated a plasma turret and a pair Jiralhanae ready their bruteshot and a rocket launcher.

" Delta you all better duck. It going to dam hot ! Brace for impact ! " shouted Marcus. Cole and Anya ducked down and covered their heads in the trunk

Marcus sticks the targeting laser from the open window; ignoring the plasma bolts flying towards the truck and he aimed at the nearest target the phantom. With a tight squeezed on the trigger as the laser locked on the phantom. Narrowing his eyes and the determination of getting his squad out of the city succeed. A beam of orange came down on the phantom from the sky then detonated in a cloud of fire. In a split second , the laser blast a gap into the blockage and vaporized the Covenant tanks and troops instantly.

Out of the flames came the packwagon , the packwagon with the remaining squad members of delta escaped across the highway. The packwagon drove to safety on the road while the Covenant warships were finishing off the rest of the city.

The escape from the Covenant offensive was a relief but full of raw emotions exposed from the lose of their friends and everything they try to rebuild gone.

Marcus slowly drove the packwagon up the hill and the vehicle reaches an abandon gas station. Marcus stepped out of the truck. Cole and Anya stepped off the flatbed truck leaving a mournful Baird and the body of their friend. Marcus was at the railing fence staring at the besiege city as he watch the covenant ships gathered in the skies. Anya joined Marcus while Cole stood guard behind the truck. The whole squad was deeply silence.

Hordes of Phantoms , Banshee fighters and Spirit dropships hovering in the air and flying as they await the Covenant navy of all sizes came to their bombardment positions.

They watch as the Covenant warships actived their ironic beam cannons and ready to fire into the hulking ruins of Kashkur . Super carriers , crusiers assault ships , frigates , destroyers and Corvettes along with a battleship shoot beams of bright plasma into the city at the same time. A squad of phantoms flew overhead of the burning city.

Beams of plasma converted the ground into molten glass , buildings crushed and melt down , survivors vaporized alive from the plasma fire and flames spreading uncontrollably as the biosphere destruction continued on. Some of the ships from the covenant were shooting lasers on the move.

Over the horizon , purple and blue explosions peppered the area as the city landscape transformed into the sea of bright blue.

Marcus was completely in a face palm , he hated when he lost friends and family to the war and now he witness the Covenant glassing everything in their warpath.

Marcus's fist tighten and he saw the destroyed look on Anya's face as she dropped on her knees in sight of the horrific fate she just witnessed . The Covenant was destroying everything and accomplishing the goal of the Locust horde of humanity extermination. Now they were force to suffer the same fate being glass alive. Rebuilding Sera was all for nothing when the Covenant came.

Anya had tears pouring down on her face as Marcus wrapped his arms around his lover-crying softy. Cole lowered his head down and Baird just watch from the truck with sadness.

They were just witnessing the fall of Sera. This is the end.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11 : A broken world lost.**

Once the entire city been glassed by orbital bombardment. Covenant air and ground troops returned to the shadow of intent to refuel, for rest or heal and repairs ; the covenant were preparing for a final assault. On the bridge, a decision was already taking place.

" The humans had fled." said Thel. " Where have they gone to ? "

" Sir , they could've taken refuge on their last stronghold. Recon squadron reported sights of fortifications in the Anvegad Pass." reported a Sangheili captain.

" They seems to be making their last stand here." said Thel " We will be staying on Sera for time."

" What is our next move ? " asked another Sangehili.

Thel looked at the holoscreens for a moment. " Warriors oversee preparations for the final assault on Anvegad Pass. The humans may be regrouping for another stand for the last time." squeezing his palm into a fist. "Then we will crush them into dust. Every savage will be cleansed from this planet."

" Commander," responded another unggoy major. "The fleet has just receive news of the prophet of regret will arrive at Sera less than one day." The Elite commander looked surprised by the news and he and the rest of his men will be honored to have the prophet recognized their fine work in combat.

" Excellent , the great journey will prevail and the savages will be crushed. We will not rest until every heretic on this world burn or let the planet burn for good." chucked Thel punching his fist into his palm.

Somewhere in space , two UNSC ships emerged from slipspace jump before thrusting on the way to their unknown location.

* * *

Tyrus home of the Coalition of Ordered Governments was now fallen to the Covenant. Banshees and Phantoms flew overhead of the Jacinto Plateau with a Corvette and two Covenant cruisers. Phantoms deployed battalions of Covenant infantry into the ruined city of Eyphus. With so much ground to cover , covenant infantry form themselves into hunter kill teams , going building by building and killing stranded survivors who are that dumb enough to flee. Other battalions formed into death squads took the luxury of time to explore ruined districts through the city.

Stranded villages in the darkness parts of Eyphus burned down by Covenant death squads and kill teams. Survivors scream and ran from the covenant

A trio of Elites walking past a burning tent belongs to a group of stranded. One of the Elite with the scattered plasma gun blasted a buckshot of energy bolts into a fleeing stranded. Other Elite threw a glowing grenade into a makeshift shack before vaporized into a storm of blue.

Ghosts and Choppers were speeding freely through the roads and streets with reckons abandons; at the same time looking for anyone to kill in their way. Phantom gunships equipped with unggoy gunners hovering over the air and patrolled the streets. Lesser resistance across Eyphus also crushed to the extreme.

A trio of men running in the alley chased by a horde of blood thirsting Kig yar, yamme and Unggoy. One stranded fired his sub pistol widely at the crowd behind him.

Plasma bolts pelted his back and a needle round struck his neck before exploding in a mist of pink and red. The remaining terrified strandeds turned a corner to only to find themselves surrounded by laughing Covenant weapons aiming right at them.

At the sink city of Jacinto , A squadron of phantoms landed from a launch bay from a Covenant cruiser and flew around the ruins of the COG last stronghold. The Phantoms flew across the sea of decaying buildings under water as the reconnaissance mission continued. Scan from the reconnaissance phantoms shows signs of infrastructure usability. Declared the city was unworthily to savage and the reconnaissance run was a waste of time. The phantoms returned the cruiser while the Covenant cruiser ready it's cannon for bombardment and fired

Jacinto then reduced to a sea of glass with thin seconds.

Then at Deadlands, where was a major savage and clean operation taken place. Covenant troops were savaging tunnels for resources or burning bodies of locust. Unggoy and the yammes given the most back breaking task of throwing bodies of the locust to the growing piles. Piles of locust burned to ashes.

Huragoks were reassemble armor, equipment and weapons stripped from the bodies of locust

Brutes and jackals were dragging crates of weapons, ammo and other values put to use out of the tunnels.

A brute captain was overseeing the operation with his hands crossed; includes the disposing of the locust filth.

" Keep the fires going." the captain barked at the group of 10 grunts who struggling to drag a dead savage boomer. " Making sure these things stay dead for good. I don't want any of those things jumping back on their feet. Someone start a fire ! "

Some brutes fired their spikes and troikas on the corpses for good measure.

A pair of unggoy dragging a dead drone before letting a swarm of Yamme snatched the body and threw it into the pile of dead locust ; boomers, savage drones and thereon guards. Then the brute major primed an incendiary grenade before throwing it into the pile and watch as the corpse of the locust horde burned away into ashes. A hunter firing his plasma thrower into a heap of corpses and watch the corpses dissolved into piles of green .

A stream of Jirhalanaes and Kig yar were carrying crates of loot from the nearest tunnel chucking with their glee from their findings. Phantoms were dropping off equipment and more construction assets to the open tunnels to establish a forward operation mine.

Similar operations were taking place right across Sera from capturing and claiming strategic territory, to establishing base of operations and mostly orbit bombardment. The South Islands on the main continent south fell to the Covenant. Pelles and the Ostri Republic both glassed and Gorasnaya conquered by the Covenant. Covenant ground troops were hunting down survivors left and right and what if left of Sera was under full control of the covenant.

Across every ocean on Sera , squadrons of banshees and vampires tracking down surviving ships or boats before delivering it's payload of plasma on it's targets.

The Covenant had just discovered Azura the very last COG stronghold after engineers able to hacked into captured COG satellite and discovered the location of Azura .

A dozen Covenant warships hovered in mid air over the island with plasma cannons charged at ready. A swirl of purple energy appeared on every ship before the armada opened fired on the island with the underside energy projector, boiling every metal , liquid and rock along with hundred COG survivors on Azura.

What is left of the safe haven for COG refugees was now a large firestorm before slowly cooling into a layer of glass blister.

Later at Mount Kadur.

A metal pressure door exploded in a mist of purple and blue and the exploded vaporized and through the steel doors like paper. Blue ashes melt through the metal plate doors.

" Clear ! " shouted a spec-op Elite armed with a plasma rifle as the Covenant soldier step forward followed by joint squadron of Spec-Op Elites and ARC elites and the last was Rtas himself.

" All squadrons report." Rtas barked in his communicator " Have we found the data core yet ?"

" No commander, we are searching . This place is a mess, something was tearing the inside out like the rage of the brute and we found bodies." replied the squad leader from the communicator.

" Act cautiously, be advise, we are not alone. We find the data and then we let the fleet burn this place to the ground. Commander out." said Rtas before switching his communicator for his plasma rifle.

The squad of Elites slowly entered into some kind of large office with monitors, terminals and computers. One of the Elites was working on the console and the rest stood guard. The Sangheili place a hovering drone over the console as the probe scanned the software for valuable Intel.

" This place sure give me the chills." said an ARC Sangheili looking around the room. " I wonder what kind of horror this place gives."

" Data secured" called out a Spec-op elite as he retrieve the probe from the console.

"Yes warrior, after we are done. We will burn this savagely place to the ground." finished Rtas waving his men to leave the room.

All of the Spec-ops team already regroups outside of the laboratory where a phantom pick all the sangheilis before departed through the skies before a Covenant destroyer arrive to bombarded the place to the ground.

* * *

Sounds of humming engines and anti gravity core filled and echoed the air of war. On board the Covenant war ship.

Banshees , vampires and phantom gunships left their landing pads. Wraiths , ghost , choppers and other vehicles loaded into phantom transports. Covenant infantry roared for war as they awaited their transports.

Sangheili shouted their war cries. Kig-yar and yamme screeched. Grunts barked ,jiralhanaes howled for blood and M'galekgolo roared.

A pair of scarabs stirred and marched to it's destination with locust walkers sticking to them as escorts. The destination is at Anvil Gate.

Meanwhile at Anvil Gate, a meeting has taken place.

Hoffman slammed both of his fists down on the table in the conference room with frustration. He just received word that Eyphus and Jacinto city already wiped out by orbital bombardment. Berine , Mathson and other surviving COG officers present at the meeting.

The table was coved with maps and reports of covenant attacks. " We just learned that half of Karshar was wiped out." said Hoffman crossing out the continent on the map with a pen . " It happen across the planet. Tyrus….just been….destroyed. Azura… nuked. God , dam Covenant are burning us out." as Hoffman pressed his hand on his forehead. " The locust , the dam lambent and then the god dam Covenant ! FUCK." with a shout as Hoffman kick the chair in a fit of rage.

Hoffman turned to face the rest of the people present in the room. "You all can't tell me you all okay with this."

" Hell no , Victor." said Bernie " Fucking Hell no I am not bloody okay. We all cut off all sides and tomorrow we are surrounded."

Hoffman signed sadly, as the realization is their fate already sealed for the last time. " We…" chocked Hoffman as a sole tear poured down on his winked face." We suffer so much. Now they are here to finish the fucking job Send us all the way to the stone and hell."

" Oh Victor." signed Berine pressed her fingers against her nose " What about Marcus and the other , I got radio contract they are on the way back to the fort. Jeez Victor what the hell are we going to tell them."

"I am the first to lie to them. They are so going to be dam fucking sorry." said Hoffman rumbling his forehead."That the covenants are going to send us to the stone age just like E-day 15 years ago. We are all going to die. Plain and simple. I be dam if the covies take this fort without a fight"

" They are going find us and kill every last one of us. They going to slaughter us." said Berine.

" If that happens, this is going to be our last stand." said Hoffman finally.

* * *

No one said anything on the way to Anvil Gate or notice. Baird was hunched in the corner of the pickup with Sam's corpse in his arms. Baird fought through tears as stared straight through the grind metal beneath him. Baird patted Sam's pale face with his hands. Everyone was silence during the drive. They just lost comrades and friends right in front them. Cole was sitting in the corner next to Baird holding his lancer and squeezing his fist tight. His expression looks bitter and unsettle. The two Gears hadn't cried for years never infront of their gears. Yet Baird neither Cole didn't care about any bullshit embarrassment

Anya and Marcus sat up front, Anya was looking out the window in the passenger side watching the treeline. Her neck crooked straight as she stares straight ahead at the road. She occasionally closed her eyes and let out a shaky sigh and letting a sole tear pour down in her face.

Marcus tried to concentrate his eyes on the road but he still reminds himself to stay on the road. His mind flashing back and forth replayed the battle between the Covenant and the COG. Death and destruction remained flesh in his head. He doubted he would get some rest despite his newfound hatred and fear of the Covenant.

The Covenant was 100 times worse than the Locust and the lambent.

Marcus shuttered at the memory of the Covenant army with unspeakable weaponry plaguing his thoughts. Images of Elite in variants of colored armor fought against squads of Gears with surprising advanced plasma weaponry and laser cutting energy blue swords.

Plasma and all kinds of xeno's weaponry did cut through body armor and flesh like paper.

Next came the , stream of Grunts throw their lives away to kill only a single gear and depleted the COG ammunition. He saw drones buzzing in mid air cutting down fleeing civilians and carrying them in the air then dropping them to their deaths. Bird like Jackals with energy shields block 10mms rounds and spraying bolts of lasers or sniping people with beam like snipers from a distance.

Armored Skimmers from above or behind leaped on Gears in close quarters and tearing people's necks with teeth and claws taking pleasure in slaughtering civilians. Gorilla like monsters ( Brutes) rampage and swarm their victims. Killing and tearing limbs of their victims alive with teeth and claws.

Finally pair of hunters in battleship armor blowing everything in their path with artillery cannons and smashing everything with their massive shield. Every covenant warrior fell in battle 5 more take its place like a multiple head hydra

Hovering war machines and aerial craft spilt death and destruction in their path including that four-leg giant of a machine that shoots a big stream of laser similar to the hammer of dawn. Then next the purple warships that emerged from the skies glassing and destroying everything they held dearly.

Marcus had one think in mind. There is no hope for them to fight those things head on. They are so fucked.

The packwagon rumbled through the quiet forest road towards the fort.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12 : Anvil Gate's last battle**

 **Present day**

 **Infinity**

The Master Chief quickly hacked the console. The Console blinking green and the pressure doors slide open revealing Palmer and the rest of fire team majestic.

"Chief. Thank god you are here," said Palmer with a growl in her tone." I want to know how this sick son of bitch gets here in the dam first place."

" He must infiltrate into the ship that what we heard from FLEETCOM. We don't know the details" said Fred.

" Yeah" added Hoya " Captain Lasky is still on the bridge who knows how long he was last with that pyschopath."

" We got to armor up." added Throne " There is no way we letting that dumbass get away with this."

" Hell no we aren't letting that dumbass stand for this." added Honya." We better take him out before he destroys the entire ship."

" Listen we only got 10 minutes until Infinity reaches Sangheilios. " said the Master Chief " We head to the bridge and the rest of you armored up asap."

" You better wait for us so we could put a bullet into that sick son of a bitch." snarled Palmer " After what he did to Lasky."

" What happens if Infinity reaches Sangheilios?" asked DeMarco.

" We are in so deep shit if that sicko fuck up the arbiter." finished Grant

Then the AI avatar popped up on the nearest console and blue team turned their weapons at Roland.

" Relaxed it me," breathed an anxious Roland " Your man- I mean your target alright calm the hell down. He still in the bridge right now. Master Chief I know a way to get to the bridge."

"Save it Roland, I want to know who that son of bitch then we shoot him in the head." said Palmer furiously.

"I know who that guy is but this guy is so going to be a lot distributing," Roland insisted.

"Show us the target." said the Master Chief." what we have to know about him

Meanwhile at the bridge. Marcus was completely relaxed after his outburst. He was sitting on the holotable with his assault rifle on his lap. The bridge was a mess ; terminals , monitors and screens smashed and busted along with chairs over turned.

Lasky still cuffed behind a pipe column still buried and bleeding and a smell of sweat and blood. Marcus got up with his face devoid of emotion. Marcus walked up to Lasky then spray a dose of bio-foam into Lasky's shoulder. Lasky flinched with pained as he taste his own blood from his bloodied lips.

" I wouldn't kill you yet" said Marcus seriously " But I wouldn't stop until we turn Sangehilios into a parking lot. I made a god dam promise to Anya I will kill every one of them. I wouldn't stop."

" Destroying Sangehilios wouldn't bring the people you care back not even Anya ." protested Lasky despite his wounded state and half a blood lost. " War changes people a lot. There is no turning back if you do this."

" I am do it for them." said Marcus emotionally . " I watch so many people die. I wasn't there to save them. I vow to avenge them no matter what is takes"

" We suffer same thing too. I lost people too even someone I love just like you." plead Lasky " I know we suffer and we did too . Please you don't have to live like this. You still need help."

Lasky looked up at Marcus who was staring at him with a cold look. " Why hurt yourself when you can hurt other people." However, Marcus didn't replied.

Frustrated, Lasky continued " How many times I need to tell Sera was completely lost to the Covenant."

Marcus didn't answer and stared into space.

" Is it really your name Sergeant Marcus Michael Fenix ?" asked Lasky finally

" Yeah." said Marcus. "I am no hero Captain. I am a Gear. A soldier" with a hint of regret" I was so dam ashamed of what I was. I am glad the COG is gone and I am never come back."

" Marcus Michael Fenix ? " said Palmer with a hint of surprise. " That SOB who attack the bridge this time. Beat the crap out of Lasky all this time."

" There is even more than that." answered Roland as he pull out a holo file from the holotable. as he show them more information to both Palmer and the Chief could see. "This is Marcus Michael Fenix according to ONI ; he is military and has the rank of Sergeant. He was a soldier and last of the Coalition of Ordered Governments. I found pockets of information from ONI and the rest is strongly classified."

" Well declassified that information Roland." ordered Palmer

Roland signed and said sadly " Sera is the only planet isolated from the UNSC and the most sad part is the entire human population was killed and the rest of Sera was glassed by the Covenant before the war end leaving Marcus the only survivor. Sera are declared lost." Another screen shows the planet in ruins from decades of war.

The Chief lowered his head and felt sadden for the deaths of millions of lives lost on Sera but didn't show it to Palmer.

" What ? That the son of the bitch that tried to kill Lasky." said Palmer angrily "Who does this asshole think he is?"

A file picture shows a Marcus Fenix in a COG uniform with a stoic look.

" That him is him? Well Chief ready to go gun blazing " asked Palmer before ready two handguns but the Chief said nothing but continued to look at the holoscreen.

" Well Chief." snapped Palmer impatiently.

The Chief turned to Palmer " I know him."

" There is more Roland."

Roland nodded " After he was rescued by UNSC forces , Marcus had a breakdown and diagnose with schizophrenia , suicidal tendencies and anger issues. He was hospitalized and transfer to medical facility on Earth after 6 years later, he escaped and he vanished off the grid and ONI had word that Marcus was part of an insurrectionist group. After that , Marcus went crazy and hell."

" That dam awful Roland but no exceptions, a psychopath is always a psychopath." scoffed Palmer " Let go kill this son of a bitch."

* * *

 **Flashback**

 **Anvil Gate**

On the battlement, Hoffman lowered his binoculars before taking a sit down on a chair before slipping a bottle of whiskey. Bernie next to him smoked a cigarette as she calmly loads her longshot rifle.

" This is how it ends Bernie. One way or the other. So much for holding on to hope through my dying breath." scoffed Hoffman lending against the chair.

" There is no way to run Victor. There nowhere." said Bernie.

Then Bernie rose from her chair and grasp on the sandbag wall. " The hell ? " Out of the tree line was a packwagon with the rest of Delta squad onboard.

" They are back." said Hoffman turned to the guards on the front gate." Open the gate!" shouted Hoffman. The gates open and out came the packwagon. The Packwagon scrolled into the courtyard.

The doors open revealing a weary Marcus followed by Anya then Cole expect for comatose and tearful Baird in the trunk with Sam's dead body.

" Marcus." said Hoffman bluntly.

" Sam…..didn't make it. Everyone else is dead, The covies beat us." said Marcus sadly before turning to a devastating Baird still holding Sam's body holding back the water work.

Hoffman smashed a fist into the door and Hoffman leaned his head while Bernie sighed with distress and muttered god dam it.

Bernie looked down on the ground sadden ignoring the stares from the Gears and militiamen present in the courtyard. Marcus and the squad continued to remain silent for their fallen friends until an explosion heard from the outside the wall. Shouts and gunfire erupted.

" Covies ! " shouted a gear.

" They found the fort ! Move it soldiers!" shouted Hoffman

" TO the Gate !" shouted Berine.

" Come on people, we got a wall to defend double time ! " shouted Marcus as Gears raced to the battlements.

"Come on Baird." shouted Cole to Baird " We got a lot of Covies to kill. Every ugly is going dam pay!"

Shooting with rage, Baird hesitated before taking one last look at Sam's body on the packwagon, kissing her forehead and with a snarl grabbing his lancer and joined the rest of the gears to the front gate. Then he mouthed to Sam's body good-bye.

The sound of plasma and gunfire filled the air as streams of covenant soldiers came from the tree line eager to kill as many humans as possible but the defenders managed to halt the advance. Elites and grunts along with jackals fired their plasma weapons at the defenders.

" Don't let them get to the wall." shouted Hoffman firing his lancer down on the battlements. Cole placed a box of ammo near another group of gears maining a machine gun.

" Keep firing ! Make your shots count ! "

On the walls , Gears were ducking and firing back everything they got at the covenant. Grunts , Elites and Jackals returned fired with plasma fire. some of the gears had mortars and blasting lances of troops from a distance.

" It a whole battalion out there !" shouted Marcus " They brought some friends too" shifting his lancer to fire.

Grunts fan themselves across the field firing their plasma pistols , needlers and plasma rifles wildly hoping to get some kills.

Waves of heat and energy smashed into the battlements. " They trying to get to the wall hold them off." shouted Marcus.

Cole ducked as a bolt zoom his head before rushing to the turret. Baird dragged an ammo crate and handout magazines to resupply the defenders.

Bernie fired shot after shot from her longshot sniper. "They keep coming!" shouted Bernie as wave of heat exploded against the stone wall.

Anya flinched as a bolt of blue detonated against her cover. Marcus snarled with frustration as his lancer rounds hammered into the energy shields protecting the elites.

The Elites maneuvered and dodge streams of bullets and growled with frustration that they could not break through the defense. Jackals held their energy shields like legionnaires as heavy caliber rounds hammered into the shields. Dozens of grunts cut down by heavy gunfire.

Some of the shields overload and got several Jackals killed.

Then, the Covenant began to withdraw and retreated back to the tree line. The gears on the battlements continued to fire until every last covenant soldier was out of sight with thin the tree line.

Baird snarled with frustration as he fired what is left of the turret on the treeline. " That right you murdering ugly Fucks ! Run all you ! I just shoot you and your asses. And Yeah I am dam pissed." shouted Baird squeezing the trigger on the turret as bullets sprayed into the treelines.

" Hell yeah we aren't got this party started ! " shouted Cole

" We clear for now, stock up what we can but the dam covies will be back." said Marcus " Someone get me some ammo."

" Well I am glad none of us are dead yet and I don't know if we have an escape plan after this." said Hoffman " how much longer are we going to last."

" Well there is a dam army out there and we are still sitting ducks." added Marcus. " We going need more firepower."

" Wish Dad isn't here to see this but he gone already." signed Marcus

The second wave came with a full force of Sangheili , Yamme , M'galekgolo, Unggoy, Kig-yar and Jirhanae troops attacking on the left slide of the fort.

" Cole ! Anya ! Baird and I will take the left side " shouted Marcus through the noise of fire and artillery. Marcus lead a group of gears to the left side of the wall where more covenant troops massing for an attack.

Marcus ducked down as a swarm of spiker and energy rounds hammered into the battlements along with Delta Squad pinned down by gunfire.

" Those things aren't giving up that easy." shouted Cole "Baby it's a shit storm out there. Wish the grubs are here to see this."

Waves of Covenant troops came charging from the treeline with weapons blazing. Turrets and lancer fire peppered the covenant on the group. The field was reduced into flaming trees , explosions and bodies. Covenant was swarming the area trying to blast their way through the fortress front.

Grunts were the first to attack spraying needle and plasma pistol fire along with a flew fuel rod cannons.

Berine took out a Brute heavy gunner with the troika with a single shot to the head. Another Brute heavy took it's place and fired it's rocket launcher. Berine cursed as spike rounds flew over the battlements.

Swarm of Yamme pelted the defenders with plasma fire in mid air as they swarm over the battlements as Gears hesitated fired their lancers and what every weaponry against the drones. Marcus snarled as he slashed a drone from it's lancer.

" Shit they got heavy artillery out there." shouted Hoffman on the tac/com

" Yeah " shouted Marcus before pressing the trigger on the mortar cannon and rain a bombardment of droplets on a wraith tank that just came out of treeline. The bombardment wreck havoc on the wraith and other covenant troops. Switching to another heavy weapon an Oneshot.

Marcus fired a round from the oneshot into the nearest hunter. The power round from the oneshot sniper cannon enter the hunter's torso and exploded half of it's body off nothing but armor pieces and worms.

Brutes , Grunts and Jackals fired everything from plasma rifles, rocket launchers, troikas , plasma cannons from needlers and fuel rods. Hunters raised their shields and deflect the 10mms rounds from the defenders then returned with fuel rod beams or projectiles fire . Mortars and gunfire exchange back and forth. Then came the tanks ( wraiths) , more wraiths show up and leveled their cannons at the fort.

" Tanks ! " shouted Anya " They got tanks. All sides !"

" For the Covenant ! For Sangehilios! " roared an golden elite raising a plasma sword as the cannons fired a volley.

" FUCKING INCOMING ! " Shouted Berine looking at the skies.

Plasma balls flew and exploded on the battlements . Blue balls of plasma vaporized dozen Gears and emplacements. The impact had knock gears off their feet.

Hordes of covenant soldiers came charging forward as the covenant took advantage of the COG's disorient defenders. A pair of M'galekgolo threw themselves against the gate repeatedly with their shields and their strength. Suddenly the phantom dropship showed up before blasting the fort with plasma fire.

Gears hit by plasma fire as plasma melted into their armor like butter. Battalions of Covenant soldiers begun to climbed on the walls.

" Keep firing ! " shouted both Hoffman and Berine at the rest of the gears.

Seeing their chance to strike, a Lance of Brutes and Elites active their jackpacks and launched in the air with energy swords and hammers at the ready. The first Elite let out a war cry as the Elite landed on the battlements with energy swords at the ready. At the same time , the Elite slammed both of it's swords into the nearest pair of gears. More Elites and Brutes landed on the battlement clashing with COG defenders in close quarters with energy swords, knifes and hammers.

A brute scream with rage while brute swing a gravity hammer hitting a gear in the chest and sending him spawning over the battlements.

Bernie let out a roar of defiance spraying her lancer at an sword wielding Elite rushing towards her with it's force field fading. The Elite swing his energy sword instead of slicing Bernie, the sword cut the lancer in half. Berine stumbled back and fell on the ground crawling away from the Elite who grinned with his energy sword draw but Berine quickly snatched a gnasher shotgun from a dead gear and fired in blank range.

The zealot Elite shot in the chest and flung backwards on the ground. " Berine ! " shouted Hoffman as he was fighting with the brute. The brute just had him pinned down with both paws on Hoffman's neck.

The Brute roared at Hoffman's bruised face before the brute could take a bit out off Hoffman's face. Berine fired a shotgun into the brute's head from behind ; spraying a shower of blood and gore infront of Hoffman. Hoffman gasp and groaned from the god awful taste of the dead alien. Berine took a moment to slipt on the brute's corpse as the battle rage on.

" Victor ! We about to be swarmed !" said Berine before grabbing Hoffman's hand pulling him back on his feet. They both turned to see more machines belong to the covenant emerged from the treeline.

Five locust walkers followed by wraiths division and Hunter reinforcements emerged from the treeline. The walkers charged up their cannons and unleashed pink beams of light into their main target the fort gate. The Hunters leap away from the laser beams as the beams hit the gate

Gears and the last of the COG commanders watched in horror as the gate exploded revealing an opening in the fort . swarms of Covenant troops entering the fort. More Covenant warriors climbing on the walls.

Hoffman then look up at the skies to see phantoms and banshees making their assault on the fort directly. The Zealot groaned and look at his chest armor dent from the shotgun blast and saw his opponent catch off guard and took no chance.

" Victor…" chocked Berine with pain as she look down on her COG armor to see an energy sword appeared in her chest. Her hand drop the weapon. Caught off guard, Hoffman turned quickly and he was kicked in the chest.

Flung backwards to the ground. Hoffman look up despite the ringing in his ears. The zealot Berine had shot was still alive thanks it's strong armor.

Berine coughed up mouthful of blood and looked at Hoffman for one last time as the roaring zealot lifted his sword with a stabled Bernie in the air

" NOOOOO! " shouted Hoffman with horror with his arm raised as the Zealot withdraw his blades and Berine collapsed to the ground.

Vowing to destroy Berine's murderer , Hoffman roar of defiance raising the chainsaw bayonet. A grunt next to the elite fired a plasma pistol at Hoffman. Hitting him in the chest. Hoffman collapsed on one knee and growled back much to the Zealot amused.

Coughing up blood , Hoffman fired everything at the Zealot. " Come you dam basterds ! Come Get Some !" roared Hoffman raising the chainsaw blade " For Berine you ugly fugly !"

The Zealot grinned with the energy swords drawn preparing to charge. Then two ultra Elites stabbed Hoffman from behind. Hoffman roared with agony and pain as his arms dropped the lancer as the zealot finally enter his sword into the torso of the colonel.

Hoffman coughed blood and look down on his chest to see the energy sword blades in his chest. Once the blades were withdrawn , Hoffman dropped on his knees. The colonel last look when the zealot let out a victorious roar before the zealot could swing his blade.

Hoffman took the last moment of his strength to prim his last grenade on his free hand. " You love burning us huh. You burn us ! " shouted Hoffman with his last breath " We burn with you !"

The frag exploded and took Hoffman , zealot and the other covenant elites with it.

Marcus slashed a chainsaw into the chest of an Elite and kicked him over the wall. Anya ducked and dropped her clip of magazine on the ground as a fuel rod round detonated against the wall.

Suddenly the ground went shaking as a thunderous sounds broke through the shattered forest before the largest form reveal to be a scarab heavy assault walker. The scarab let out a maniacal roar

" Oh shit ! " shouted Marcus with horror and awe

 **Flashback ended**

 **Orbit Sangheilios**

Infinity exit from slipspace and revealing it's presence at the blockage of Sangehilio warships. The ship was heading towards the blockage.

Marcus sighed with relief from his outburst and frustration as he saw the sight of the planet. A trill of excitement filled his veins as his vengeance side took over . Marcus vow to burn Sangehilios to the ground and the covenant too.

" There it is." chucked Marcus wickly held Lasky on the neck with the handgun ready. " That Sangheilios right. That the place I want to go. Yeah look like the brass is going to kill you for that."

" Hey Roland ! " shouted Marcus at the AI on the holotable. " You better have the big gun ready because I going to blow the living hell out of them."

" Hell no you wouldn't." chocked Lasky from his bloody lip " You can't. The Swords of Sangehilios at in a civil war if-"

" Shut up." growled Marcus as he fired the handgun at the holoscreen.

Meanwhile the Chief and rest of blue team raced through the hallway unaware of Marcus's actions.

Marcus smirk at the port view as Sangheili ships shifting into confusion then the fleet took up defensive position around the planet.

" Listen captain , I am going rain the living hell on the covie pricks , I am going show them I can send them off to the stone age. After that I shoot you. " said Marcus tunefully." We are going kill all of them."

" What have you done Marcus ? " asked Lasky bitterly. " You are going to kill yourself just kill every sangheili on Sangheilios now. Doesn't make any sense."

Marcus scoffed and continued " You know what else. I already said good bye to my family. I kiss Anya good bye. This is going to be my last fight."

Suddenly a screen came to lift as a transmission came from the CAS ship in the middle of the blockage. The transmission revealed to a be an armored Sangehili. Marcus turned and a twist of hatred filled his face to see a Sangehili right infront of him

" UNSC Infinity , this is a restricted area. What is your ship doing on Sangehili orbit ?" growled the Sangehili Captain. But Marcus cut him off and held a bruised Lasky on head lock and a handgun to the head.

" Listen you fuck." said Marcus wickly before yelling " I want you to tell every Elite, I am going to kill everyone off and everything off to the stone age ! And I am burning your god dam planet to the fucking ground."


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13 : Score to Settle**

 **Present day**

 **Sanghelios**

 **State of Vadam**

 **High Command Centre**

The Arbiter glanced at the holotable outlining a map and schematics of a landmark indicating rebel and covenant positions. Surround by Sangehili field marshals, officers and Spec-Ops commandos. Unggoy and Sangehili were doing their task from monitoring terminal and screens, neither working on holopads or relieving messages from ground troops. The Arbiter spend months of suppressing storm Covenant and rebel attacks across Sangheilios also dealing with politics with his people and the humans.

He was discussing plans for an offensive with his commanders; Until it happened.

An unggoy came running into the command center with worry on his face and getting attention from the entire command center. "Arbiter! The human ship arrived on orbit. Only one ship!"

"Human ship? What! I thought the humans were told not come here." said the Arbiter.

"What do they want? Trouble." retorted a Field Marshall.

"Patience." snapped Thel "They must have only one reason to come here. I will find out myself, the rest of you stay here until further notice."

"The humans are not responding to hail calls." reported a communication tech sangheili from a terminal." Reports from the fleet saying Infinity is in attacking position."

"What? You are telling me now!" shouted Thel with outrage.

"Reports from the orbit is true Arbiter." Protested the communication officer.

"I don't know what the humans were up to do but I will find out this insubordination instantly ; I want answers myself. I want to know what the meaning of this is." Growled Thel turning away from the holotable."Get me to the Shadow of Intent. No, right to Infinity right now. I want to talk to Captain Lasky himself "as he ignored the stares from the staff in his command Centre.

But Thel didn't expected to UNSC to interfere with the civil war on Sangheilios but only cause deeper trouble for him and the Sangheili.

Thel swiftly exit the room with three of the Swords of Sangheilio guardsmen, he walked past numerous guards in the hallway to his private landing pad where a lich was waiting for him along with two phantom escorts and a banshee squadron.

Little does Thel know that something or someone from the past Covenant war is coming to Sangehilios and about to settle an old score with him. But Thel push the thoughts from his mind as he steps his foot into the Lich.

 **UNSC Infinity**

Marcus scoffed with impatience as he watches the Sangehili ships were still holding their ground waiting for Infinity to make a move.

"Let give them a wake call shall we." Snarled Marcus "You got nukes onboard right; time to waste them."

"Hey Roland full speed and we going detonated those nuke on their planet from the inside out." ordered Marcus.

"No , that suicide, you going to kill everyone the ship and everyone on Sangehilios." protested Roland "No I am not doing it!"

"You are going to." Snarled Marcus as he hit the PA switch on the terminal then addressing the entire ship. "Listen up Infinity, we already at the edge of their beloving planet Sangehilios where the Covenant live. We are so going to destroy them." Before, the former Gear gave himself a dark and bitter chuckle for the last time.

" We are ramming this bitch into the god dam planet. If anyone stay here, you better run." Before Marcus quickly silence the PA system console from his handgun, leaving the console smoking with a gunshot. "You can't do this." Plead Lasky from his cuffs." Infinity have civilians and men with families. They are my people. They don't have to die like this. You don't want to do this."

" I have to !" screamed Marcus grabbing Lasky on the shoulders coming at the Captain's face" I am not letting it go that only that stopping me is avenging Anya, my planet and everyone. My fucking Anya! I lost everything and I am taking theirs away. I am killing everyone even the COVENANT. This is my fucking war."

"Roland, Full speed ahead and armed those dam nukes before I shot your captain. "Shouted Marcus.

" He be dammed if he thinks he going to ram the ship into Sangheilios orbit, killing millions in the heart of Sangheilios." Said Fred with alarm in his tone as he struggle to open the blast slide doors. The Spartans were struggling to open the blast doors along with the help of some stranded Personal.

" We don't die onboard this way." Reassured John putting his enhances muscles to use. "We are not getting nuke in our own ship. Another way or an around."

"Someone in the engine room kills the engines if you have to." ordered Linda to the nearest UNSC marine behind her.

"Yes ma'am." said the marine who hurried to follow the order.

"Just a little more." Said Kelly but the slide doors slide open a little enough to fit one Spartan through the gap. "Go John, we got this." said Fred "Save Captain Lasky. Don't wait for us."

The four Spartans nodded to each other before the Master Chief enter the gap of the blast doors and disappear in the hallway.

Marcus growled with frustration as he noticed something was off when the ship was slowly losing power. "What was that? "Grabbed Lasky by the neck at the same time. "You up to something."Marcus accused

Struggling to catch his breath. "One of the engines has a malfunction. Please. "chocked Lasky sounding reasonable.

"You lie." sound Marcus right into Lasky' face. "Fix it or I shoot you"

" Hey Fenix," shouted Roland from the busted holotable "What?"shouted Marcus turning his attention at Roland who had enough of Marcus's madness. "This is your only chance to walk away peacefully with your head held high or else."

" Or Else what." snarled Marcus dropping Lasky on the ground. Lasky groaned from his still wounded shoulder as he noticed a broken branch of metal on the ground. Then Roland gave the signal. " Lasky Run!" shouted Roland. Catch off guard as Lasky smash the metal rod into the back of the psychotic soldier's head.

"Get out of here!"shouted Roland "Run."

Stunned , Marcus stumbling forward and nearly collapsed on the holotable. Open window for freedom, Lasky boasted from the bridge as Roland open the bridge doors wirelessly without looking back.

Marcus groaned and snarled with rage grabbing the assault rifle from his back and spirited out the bridge. Act quickly, he active the rest of the explosives on his vest.

The Master Chief continuing spiriting in the hallway with his assault rifle drawn when he got to the checkpoint he was unaware of the encounter of an old acquaintance. The side doors opened to reveal Captain Lasky held hostage by a whole build older man in ODST fatigues and armor plus a headband and a scar on his left side.

"You." growled the man who is responsible for highjacking Infinity.

The Master Chief kept his rifle trained on the man. "Hello Sergeant" he simply said. Hitting a nerve, Marcus squeezed the gripped on Lasky's neck tighter but had his handgun on the Captain's headside with a sound of Lasky hissing for air

"Move it Chief."said Marcus determinedly at the Chief who stood there in firing position. The Chief didn't hesitate to move a muscle but his assault rifle still in firing range at the insane former COG solider.

"No Sergeant." the Chief said bitterly.

"I said Move!"Shouted Marcus impatiently.

"No. "said the Chief with a hint of refusal.

"I said GET THE HELL OUT MY WAY. "roared Marcus with anger."I SWORE I WILL SHOT HIM."

"That is not going to happen. "said the Chief "Not until I shot you first. Release the captain and surrender quietly with your head held high. I am taking you in."

Marcus grinded his teeth with hesitation."That's all you are going to say. I am not going back." he spatters out."Never will."

The Chief didn't say anything but silence.

"You have no idea why. Because I wouldn't got dam rest until I burn their planet to the ground and last one of them just like they did to mine." shouted Marcus with anger as tear formed up in his eyes as the past came back.

"I can't let you do that Sergeant. I didn't come to their world to settle a score." said the Chief. The Chief chose his word carefully at his old acquaintance only to stale Fenix some time and he only said this.

"What happen to you?" the Chief asked.

"Everything Chief! The god dam war!" shouted Marcus fighting through tears recounts the haunted memories of the covenant in his mind play back. "I am here to settle the score now with them. Every last one of them."

"What are you doing is taking lives. Killing people left and right is not the answer to revenge. You murdering innocent people right now ; don't go down this ruinous path." answered the Chief with a plead of diplomacy. For a person who grew up living and breathing for war. The chief had to try diplomacy for now.

" That's not going to happen after the shit they put through me. It bullshit." snarled Marcus "I show them what it like to lost someone. I did."

* * *

 **Flashback**

 **Anvil Gate**

 **6 months after the locust war**

" Take cover ! Get off the wall !" shouted Marcus as Anya and he raced for the opening as the scarab fired it's focus cannon. The purple beam of energy vaporized and burned through the walls. It burned through a guard tower and the entire wall.

Thel watched from the balcony from the scarab bridge from the outside as the wall of the fort vaporized and collapsed revealing a large opening. He saw the open opportunity for a slam dunk victory. " Order the tanks and the walkers to stop firing and tell all units to advance. I will be in the battle soon." said Thel to one of his General. "Take the fight to the humans. Prepare to charge. End this."

Once the order was give, every covenant troops charged forward when the wraiths and artillery stop firing and the defenders inside the fort fought brutally to make their last stand. A pair of Banshees rain plasma fire on the remaining gears on the wall. As waves of covenant flocking into the fort at all sides. Phantoms dropping off fresh troops and rain plasma fire on the defender while buying time for covenant reinforcements to arrive.

Gears fought back with everything they got as they were pick off one by one from the overwhelming force of the Covenant.

Barid let out a roar as he pelted a trio of unggoy down the stairs. Barid ran down raining hell from his lancer. A unggoy heavy tried to open fire with the fuel rod only it's head blow off. He dove for cover behind an cover turned packwagon and spraying lancer rounds into a group of Sangheili, kig yar and a pair of jirahanae.

Baird watch as gears dying to the hands of the covenant. A Gear was stabbed in the torso by a sword wielding Ultra Sangheili before kicking him off the wall. Another gear was thrown against the sack of a roof from a flying yamme. A jirahanae ripped the neck of a wounded gear before breaking the soldier's back on the jirahanae armored knees. A Mgalekegolo smashed it's foot and executed a gear on the ground. Bullets and energy rounds exchange in mid air.

Covenant and Gears battle each other with knives, fists and guns. Both of Covenant and Gears fell together staining the battlefield. Other gears detonated their frag taken their enemy with them.

A gear flung himself from the roof of a shed with two grenade and exploding in mid air taken a entire lance of covenant rushing the courtyard.

Okay time to go down fighting like a Gear. So much for living our lives to the fullest. I am coming for you Sam thought Baird as he noticed he had no ammo left but only a handful of rounds in the lancer.

With a roar of defiance, Barid charged towards a lance of Covenant firing what is left of his lancer then charged forward with the chainsaw bayonet. A kig yar with the beam rifle in the ruined tower took an aim and fired a beam. The Beam enter into the shoulder. Barid yelled with pain as he nearly stopped his charge until a Brute heavy with a heavy plasma cannon opening a volley of energy right into Barid's chest as he flung backwards as energy bolts enter in and out of his chest.

Barid landed on the ground with lifeless eyes glancing at the sky as he chocked his last breath only to see an Elite firing his plasma rifle infront of him.

Cole turned and fired his lancer into an pair of yamme overhead and gunned down heavy unggoy before rolling into cover of barrier. He jumped over the barrier and kick a grunt in the face.

" Come get some !" shouted Cole "The Cole Trains fights to the very end." Cole sash his chainsaw bayonet into the nearest Elite minor who dare to jump in mid air. Killing the Elite , Cole turned to see Baird's corpse laying on the ground next to the wall. Cole rushed to his fallen friend. Dropping on his knees as Cole sobbed, wrapping his friend's corpse.

"No baby ! NO! NO!" choked Cole through tears as his eth . "Fuck Baby no."

" MOTHERFUCKERS !"

Then plasma rifle forced Cole into cover of the sandbags . Elites , Grunts , Jackels and drones pelting Coles position trying to draw him out into the opening. A savage roar was heard as a Brute Chieftain charged midair with the gravity hammer . Cole was smashed in the gut from the brutal impact of the hammer.

Cole flew like a ragdog and smashed into the garage door of a small hanger. Cole coughed out blood , crawling desperately despite his extreme injuries. An Elite in the golden armor walked up to weaken Cole with the energy sword ready. Cole desperately scambled for a hammerburst rifle on the lap of a dead gear with needle round intact.

Cole took his last look at Barid's body away in a distance and felt his eyes closing when an energy sword purge down , melt through his back armor right into his heart.

Thel withdraw his sword away from his fallen enemy's corpse before removing his dogtag from his body. Little to be satisfied, Thel smirked at the dogtags name Priavte Augustus Cole. Human gunfire slowly fade to silence. He watch as another column of Covenant enter the fort's main building searching for survivors.

Thel continued his walk around the fort searching for any foe who was brave enough to face his sword.

Anya ducked and fired back at Elites who pinned them into the guard house. Two Elites with plasma repeaters firing streams of blue . Marcus pulled out his last frag and threw it to cover their retreat. The pair ran out the exit of the guard house trying to stay alive. Suddenly a banshee began it's dive bomb towards the pair running on the catwalk. Firing it's fuel rod.

" Incoming ! "Shouted Marcus as Anya and he leap from the catwalk as the fuel rod bolt detonated against narrow bridge. The blast flung both Marcus and Anya in mid air. They both landed and slide across the ground and rolling until they were on their backs. Anya groaned and rolled back on her stomach as ringing screaming in her head. She blinked and rose up to see Covenant troops everywhere on the walls , the courtyard and everywhere inside the fort.

Anya realized the Covenant overrun the their fortress , the last of the COG stronghold. Anya blinked and reaction hit her as she saw Marcus and her were the only last two surviving gears in the fort.

Mgalekgolo , Unggoy, Kig-yar, Yamme buzzing in mid air, jiralhane and Sangheili troops stood there with weapons at the ready, other echoed with growls or laughter and the rest were ready for the kill before any action was taken.

" Enough! " roared the Golden armored Elite revealing to be Thel as numerous warriors made way for the Supreme Commander of the Covenant army. Thel observed the young battle harden dirty blonde women in blue armor staring right at him, as he expected this young female put up a fight against his men. Too impressive, Thel thought to himself as he maintains a distance away from the lieutenant.

" Pick up your weapon human." ordered Thel and turning to his troops " This human is mine to duel." as he active his energy sword. Anya glanced at Thel patiently waiting for her to fight then her lancer at the ground cautiously. Without hesitation , Anya snatched the rifle off the ground and attempted to fire but the lancer was out of bullets.

As the Gear and the Sangheili commander circled each other waiting for the first strike. Anya raised the chainsaw bayonet to buzzed and Thel raised his blade defensively. Their eyes locked heated. Thel lowered his guard down hoping the enemy would attempt to strike forward.

Anya let out a roar of defiance and charged forward and swings the chainsaw bayonet. Thel swifty dodge and counter the attack with his blade then knock her to the ground.

" Get up human." said Thel firmly

Anya groaned with frustration as she picked herself up from the cold wet ground with the lancer. Anya draw the lancer defensively as Thel waited for her next move clearly Thel was interested in her combatively. " Impressive in combat but crafty. You are putting up much more of a fight than the rest of your kind. It matters not, however; you will share their fate, butchered like the unclean filth that you are." taunted the Sangheili.

Anya clutched her teeth in anger and her eyes burning with vengeance. That monster and the Covenant slaughter everyone and everything they were trying to rebuild or protect. Who the hell think he is. " I don't think so." retorted Anya with a snarl in her voice.

At the same the Gear and the Sangheili charged forward with both close quarter weapons draw. Thel let out a warcry and Anya buzzed up the chainsaw. They both swung their weapons at the same time as Energy sword and chainsaw met in the middle of the courtyard neither weapon gain a edge.

Thel and Anya had their eyes locked for a moment but Thel pushed his sword back and knock aside the bayonet and knee Anya right on the chest armor stumbling her back but Anya swung her bayonet missing Thel's chest who jump back and swung the energy blade. This time it cut the weapon in half.

Her lancer lay in pieces leaving Anya defenseless. Thel resisted the urge to purge his sword instead he ordered a warrior a sword for the human. A Elite toss his energy sword to the commander as Anya watch with uncertainly. Thel toss the device and the handheld device landed near Anya's feet.

" Pick up it." barked Thel " Fight like a real warrior! Provide to me you are worthy warrior. Finish this." embraced his arms wide out.

Anya frowned and pick up the device and active the energy sword revealing it's energy. She held the sword directly at Thel who presented a salute from his sword but the Sangehili gave a pride grin.

Anya was shaking with the sword in her hands as her grip tight. Adrenaline was pumping every corner in her body. Covenant around her was hooting and taunting her cowardice. Anya's eyes burning with vengeance locked at the Commander's cold eyes and the slaughter of her friends burning fresh in her mind. She thought of this but no surrounded by an alien army with every lust for killing humans. Memories of watching Sam , Carmine , Jace , Pad , Dizzy and countless others fallen victim to the hands of the covenant.

Blind by hatred, Anya let out an animalistic scream and attempted to swung the energy sword and spilling blood at the same time. Thel was prepare for the assault , managed to deflect the swung and twist around Anya was aggressively swinging her sword in full force. Thel deflect another strike and attempted a brutal slash but Anya jump back dodging her attack. Thel grinned at back at her.

While the fight was going, Marcus was still on the ground regaining consciousness slowly and his eyes quickly darted at the fight between Lieutenant Stroud and Commander Thel in a sword battle.

Energy swords clashed against each other as Thel and Anya exchange slash and thrust. Finally, Thel twist his sword fast enough and purge his sword right into Anya's stomach.

Anya screamed out in pain from the burning heating inside her torso dropping the energy sword to the ground. Withdrawing the sword away from Anya , Anya stumbled back slowly with her arms holding her stomach and widen with shock and horror.

Anya dropped on her knees from the agonizing paining and look down at her the stomach wound. Her hands covered with her own blood from her armor. Seeing his opponent at her mercy, Thel point his sword ready for the kill .

Anya's mouth dripping with blood and Marcus was so helplessly but watch her in agonizing pain. The Covenant troops around them even watched with curiosity

Anya coughed out handful of blood as she slowly looked up at Thel with tearful eyes pleading for mercy. Thel lowered his sword for a moment as he studied the lieutenant.

" You fought well human." said Thel firmly before turning his back" With honor." As Anya listened with fright and uncertain even Marcus who looked confused also uncertain as well. " What are you doing ?" muttered Marcus.

"A warrior at birth. A warrior at Death." said Thel finally. A sole tear poured down from Anya's face as she chocked a sob. Thel swiftly twist and stabbed his energy sword into Anya's chest armor and her lung.

" NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! " screamed Marcus at top of his lung with rage , grief and horror of the one he loved. Anya cried out in pain and horror as the sword burned in her chest. Her hands desperately clawed against Thel's sword hand but Thel calmly removed the dogtags and the Eyphra star from her neck. Coughing out blood , Anya collapsed in a fetal position as Thel withdrawn the sword at the same time. Thel turned to see Marcus crying at his fallen lover.

Marcus scrambled on his knees and crawled to her dying form and wrapped Anya in his arms. Thel still stood there watching this along with the covenant with amused.

" Anya." chocked Marcus through tears. "Don't go. Fuck no, I need you."

Anya chocked and gasp for breath and slowly look at Marcus who pouring down tears. "Marcus…."Anya chocked as her bloody mouth struggling to speak.

" Hold on Anya !"

"I…"

" No Anya No!"

" I love….you…-"

Anya chocked out her final breath and her head rolled to the side. Marcus sobbed in agony and buried his face into her body; mourning his losses. Then he threw his head up to the sky and screamed " NOOOOOOOOOOO!"


End file.
